My Hanukkah celebration began today with my email filled with wishes for a Happy Hanukkah from people of different faith communities and from secular friends; some came by the house, like my friends Sam and Jim who came over with a gift, an uplifting card and the brightest warmth of friendship. Each of our friends, far and near, is a light in our Menorah. For all of us our connections with one another are the light we bring to the festival. Our bonds and common humanity are the firm light we have as we face fears and violence. Across differences we affirm our shared humanity and we know that our connections and coming together are the candles that we light on Hanukkah. On our first night as we light the Menorah we remember that Hanukkah is a festival of freedom and light.

Here are some lyrics from a famous Hanukkah Hebrew song entitled, “We Came to Drive Away the Darkness” that underscore our collective power to light with a world-wide Menorah:

We came to drive away the darkness
in our hands is light and fire.
Everyone is a small light,
and all of us together are a firm bright light