Chanukah 2024

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of blessed memory, who remains to this day one of the great builders of our modern age in fostering a connection to Jewish life once shared:

“My father-in-law reported this conversation with his own father Rebbe Sholom Dov-Ber, then the Lubavitcher Rebbe:

“The Hasid asked: Rebbe, what is a Hasid?

The Rebbe answered: A Hasid is a streetlamp lighter.

In olden days, there was a person in every town who would light the gas streetlamps with a light he carried at the end of a long pole. On the street corners, the lamps were there in readiness, waiting to be lit. A streetlamp lighter has a pole with fire. He knows that the fire is not his own, and he goes around lighting all the lamps on his route.”

Today, the lamps are there, but they need to be lit. It is written, “The soul of man is a lamp of God,” and it is also written, “A mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light.” 

A Hasid is one who puts personal affairs aside and goes around lighting up the souls of Jews with the light of Torah and mitzvot. Jewish souls are in readiness to be lit. Sometimes they are around the corner. Sometimes they are in a wilderness or at sea. But there must be someone who disregards personal comforts and conveniences and goes out to ignite these lamps with his or her flame. That is the function of a true Hasid.

Chanukah provides us with that opportunity to bring light onto others, to be that Chasid. With such a simple mitzvah of lighting the menorah, we see the faces of others shine. We see it on our children, even if they are adults. We see it on our grandchildren. We see it on the faces of our spouses, partners, and friends.

I was in one of Lisa’s favorite stores, just the other day. The owner turned and shared a story about one child of her children, when a friend came over to play. Cindy and the mother were talking about the fact that one was Irish and the other was half Irish and half Italian.  Cindy’s child then chimed in: “I was just at my friend’s house and they celebrate Chanukah for eight days. It looks like a great holiday. They have potato pancakes, they spin a dreidel and play a game. Their songs are so neat. When they sing “I have a little dreidel,” they spin around like the dreidel. It looks like so much fun… so I have decided that I want to be half Irish and the other half Chanukah.”

This week, through the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund, I am proud to say that we have lit up the light for some children in the New London school district, whose parents cannot even afford enough food to keep them fed during school break. Food stamps simply do not make it for these families. They have a difficult time paying rent. Some live in the Red Roof Inn. One mother with two children ages six and eleven just brought her infant home from the NICU. The mother and her children are sleeping in an unfinished basement of a relative’s house. While the school district provides hot breakfast and lunch for these children, during this holiday break, there are no meals served. And needless to say, the mother who is breast feeding her newborn, also needs to eat to provide nourishment to her baby. 

Through the hands of Cheryl Potter, I have been able to provide grocery gift cards to these families so that these children will not go hungry. To all those of you who have supported the Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund, and to some who have heard what I am doing and have donated to the cause, thank you for helping to provide food to those children. 

On each gift card, Cheryl wrote that it was donated by Congregation Beth El. She commented: “The tears and hugs from the mothers who received the gift cards, along with their thanks “for not making me feel that I’m a bad mother,” made me so very grateful that you provided food for these children.

 This donation is so special this year because none of the agencies that donate each year had anything to offer.”

It is as Rabbi Menachem Schneerson’s father-in-law once said: “A Hasid is one who puts personal affairs aside and goes around lighting up the souls of Jews with the light of Torah and mitzvot.” And that is all of our mitzvah for this year at Congregation Beth El, as we light the menorah for those children in need, with some food in their bellies and hopefully smiles on their faces.

Shabbat Shalom

And may this be a very Happy Chanukah.

Bring them home now!!!

Am Yisrael Chai!

Rabbi K