The Generations that follow

 

If there is anything sure in this life, it is the continuation of the generations. The journey of life contains so many experiences, but the glue that gives life meaning is the knowledge that when we are gone, there will be another to take our place. That has been and continues to be the design of creation. 

There are many ways to guarantee the future. There is love, which includes embracing everyone regardless of who and where they came from. There is support for those things we hold dear so that those who follow will inherit traditions and understandings from which to continue to build a future. There is service to one’s ideals, which we hope will encourage those who continue to realize the values we hold dear. 

All of these things come to mind when I think about the season just around the corner. The essence of Hanukkah is the understanding that love conquers all: the love of God. There can be no brighter light emanating from the menorah than the light of understanding and faithfulness. 

Hanukkah helps us understand the true meaning of compassion and strength. Light not only represents awareness but it also enables us to find our way in the darkness that surrounds us. It doesn’t only matter that there was enough oil for one day or that it lasted for eight. It doesn’t only matter that a band of zealots overcame unimaginable odds to secure religious freedom for all. What does matter is that we remember and we tell the story, in whatever form, however we embellish it. What does really matter is that we are here to do just that and every faith on the face of the earth owes its existence to this seemingly insignificant feat that took place 2200 years ago. 

That is continuity in its highest form, and it is how love and devotion to faith will guarantee that the generations will follow. It is service to community and to synagogue that also makes Hanukkah so special. 

Our commitment to Jewish survival enabled us to reach out to others in various communities. We are part of a greater Jewish presence in this valley. And all this was made possible because of vision and sacrifice. 

The Mishnah teaches that in the beginning God created only one person to teach us the lesson that if you destroy a single person, it is as if you have destroyed the whole world. And if you save the life of a single person, it is as if you have saved the whole world. I would go even further by stating that if you preserve that which is sacred and has meaning, it is as if you have guaranteed the future and ensured continuity. That is the debt we owe to those who were responsible for our existence as a congregation and the preservation of our heritage. Hanukkah means dedication, and what better example of dedication than remembering our past which brought us to today. 

The Talmud also teaches that if a community is in need, a person must not stay uninvolved. A person must share in the communities’ needs, and they will see its survival guaranteed. The continuity of the generations will be the testament to that involvement. 

Yes, Hanukkah means many things, but to me the most significant is that our destiny is enshrined in our connection to each other and to God, who enables us to make each season a season of joy and fulfillment.