Shabbat Shalom ~ Miketz Hanukkah 2024

Dear WJC Family,

I hope everyone is having a beautiful Festival of Lights filled with family, friends, fun and lots and lots of latkes and sufganiyot! I got two nice Hanukkah treats yesterday:

1) There was a New York Times Op Ed, “This Hanukkah, Choose Light Over Heat,” by Rabbi Dov Linzer and Abigail Pogrebin called, authors of It Takes Two to Torah: An Orthodox Rabbi and Reform Journalist Discuss and Debate Their Way Through the Five Books of Moses. What a great opportunity to introduce them as our Scholar in Residence speakers for our SIR Weekend March 28th-30th! 

And

2) the final cut of the video of all the rabbis with me in Israel singing “Acheinu,” by the light of the hanukkiah, with some images of the convention thrown in for good measure. It is a beautiful reminder that though we are spread throughout the world, all of the Jewish people are linked, Acheinu (brothers and sisters). Too often we are connected by the darkness, but at our best, we are linked by the light. Like all of us around the world lighting the hanukkiah on this beautiful festival of light and bringing some sacred light into the world for everyone. You can view the video by clicking here. (The video was Led by: Tandu Ensemble, Shani and Yahala Lachmish, Video recording and editing: Reouven Ben Haim, Sound amplification and recording: Evgeny Yanov)

You can also follow the video link below to watch my Miketz/Hanukkah Torah Talk connecting this week’s Torah portion and the holiday. 

There are some other great resources for the holiday this year, along with the usual fun Hanukkah videos. One of my favorites is the WZO’s Eight Nights of Heroes Booklet. It dedicates each night to another hero from October 7th or after. I found it to be very inspirational and meaningful. You can take a look at it by clicking here. One note – this is a “grown-up” Hanukkah text, so please review before deciding whether or not to use it with your family.

On another note, the registration form for Ride for the Living has been released. If you are interested in joining Team Westchester Jewish Center, let me know, or go ahead and register by clicking here. I am happy to answer any questions regarding the fundraising side of the event, accommodations, or transportation. Just let me know.

I expect it will be a beautiful, if quiet, Shabbat in shul this week. Please join us as Rabbi Claire Shoyer, our intern from last year and Shabbat Morning 101 teacher this year, will be visiting. She will lead Kabbalat Shabbat services and deliver the sermon on Saturday morning. We are looking forward to the opportunity to learn with her again, as she begins her last semester of Rabbinical School and begins looking for her first post as an ordained rabbi! We will also have mincha services at 4:15pm with learning and seuda shlishit (a little nibble to bring Shabbat to a close).

See you in shul,