Chaverim – Friends:
The year is going by quickly, and the holiday of Hanukah is already upon us soon. It does seem a bit strange to be writing about Hanukah in early November, but this year we have a very unusual situation. Thanksgiving and Hanukah are at the same time! In fact, the last time this happened was in the 1880’s, before many of our ancestors had even made it to America yet to celebrate Thanksgiving. Some astute scholars have even figured out that the next time this phenomenon will occur is some 70,000 years from now. Wow! So this is truly an unusual holiday season.
The idea of Hanukah and Thanksgiving together is something that many people are having a lot of fun with. There are Thanksgivinakuh t-shirts and other decorations. A rabbi friend of mine posted on Facebook very excitedly that she just received a menurky that she ordered. What is a menurky? You might ask. Well, it is a Hanukah menorah made in the shape of a wild Turkey with it feathers fanned out and places for the Hanukah candles attached. Quite amazing.
On a serious note, it gives us a moment to think of how the two holidays might have a deeper connection. On a basic level, we look to the day of Thanksgiving as a time when we reflect on the miracle that happened when a few people left the known world behind and sought to make a better life in a new land. There were many struggles along the way, but we citizens of the United States of America – The most powerful nation in the world are in their debt for the courage and faith they showed in an uncertain time. Despite the many challenges we have faced as a country over the years to make real the promises of democracy and rights of all human beings, we are at least a country and a people that takes seriously the responsibility to make this country a free and democratic land. We pause one day each year to give thanks for the blessings we enjoy living in this country.
The Hanukah story, too celebrates a moment when people struggled against a powerful enemy and faced an uncertain future. They stood strong in their faith and united as a people and were able to win a miraculous victory. Once again the Jewish people were able to live and worship in freedom in our own land. The holiday of Hanukah celebrates the courage and faith of our people then. They rededicated the Temple and themselves to the worship of the Eternal God. We pause and give thanks for their courage to light the little container of oil for the Temple’s menorah which the rabbis teach miraculously lasted for the entire eight days of dedication.
Traditionally on Hanukah the dreidl in American has Hebrew letters which form an abbreviation for the phrase “A Great Miracle Happened There.” In Israel, the dreidl says “A Great Miracle Happened Here.” On this holiday of Thanksgivinakah in America Let us proclaim also “A Great Miracle Happened Here.”
Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Hanukah!