Almost 90% of American Jews celebrate Chanukah, making it the most celebrated Jewish holiday besides Pesach. Since even the most secular Jews feel a connection to the holiday, a class on the
Chanukah means consecration. During the eight days of Chanukah, we commemorate the miraculous rededication of the Bais Hamikdash by the Chashmonaim in 165 BCE, following three years of contamination at the hands of the powerful Seleucid Greeks. Chanukah, however, can also be understood as education, the
Hanukkah celebrates the miraculous military and spiritual victory orchestrated by a handful of poorly trained and inadequately equipped Hasmonean fighters over the superior Seleucid (Greek) forces of Antiochus IV. The Jewish leader, Judah Maccabee, son of Mathias, had risen in opposition to the Hellenic kulturkampf that had been waged against his people. He led his... Read more »
In his NYTimes.com article “The ‘Busy’ Trap,” Tim Kreide writes: “If you live in America in the 21st century you’ve probably had to listen to a lot of people tell you how busy they are. It’s become the default response when you ask anyone how they’re doing: “Busy!” “So busy.” “Crazy busy.” It is, pretty obviously, a boast
Chanukah is very much in vogue today, and not just because it provides a convenient excuse to give presents during “the holiday season.” Its celebration of the miraculous Jewish victory over the Greek challenge to Judaism fits the popular mold of beating the odds, the underdog having his day, and religious freedom
Chinuch refers to realizing the inherent capability…for whichever task, or the capability of a house or an object to fulfill its function… When it is used to refer to the education of children, then the meaning is to raise and develop the child’s nature and capabilities. (Rabbi Kalonymous Kalman Shapira of Piaseczno, Chovas
This year, Rabbi Tzvi Moshe Shultz has updated the Dreidel Olympics Guide. This popular resource has lots of fun ideas that rabbis and educators can use to put your congregants and students' dreidel spinning skills to the test. Young and old alike love participating in these competitions and it will surely help raise the Chanukah spirit at your
Torah Live has announced that its joining the gift-giving this Chanukah, with an eight day long raffle of premium memberships. Sign up on the Torah Live website during Chanukah and you’ll be entered into their daily raffle. That’s a full year of access to some of the most exciting Torah materials available today! For the last eight years, Torah Live e
The Chofetz Chaim writes that there are only two Jewish festivals during the winter: Chanukah and Purim. At Chanukah, the enemies of the Jewish people tried to take away from us, G-d forbid, our holy Torah, which is our soul and spirit. At Purim they tried to destroy us physically, G-d forbid, by attacking our bodies. What was the result? We were victorious, and we retained
“The Sounds of Silence” is a song by the American music duo Simon & Garfunkel. The song hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 on December 4, 1965. It spent 12 weeks on the chart. By January 1966, it had sold one million copies. (Wikipedia) I know most rabbis will call people before Chanukah;