Happy Hanukkah!

Judaism teaches us that what we do with our lives is precious.  Adding meaning to all of our actions is a holy act- whether we are praying, eating, washing our hands, or partaking in normal, everyday activities, doing them with intention lifts the seemingly mundane to the level of holiness. Simply put, Judaism asks of us to act not mindlessly but with intention. Hanukkah, or  חנוכה ​means ‘Dedication’. As we light the Hanukkah candles, let our intent be meaningful with each night. 
We dedicate the 6th Candle to those who struggle with mental illness.  With nearly 20% of our country diagnosed with some form of mental illness, there are nearly 5% who struggle with severe mental illness.  In other words, nearly 50 million Americans struggle, and their families struggle as well.  Mental illness also contributes to drug addiction and suicide.
Tonight, let us offer a Mishebeirach prayer on behalf of those who suffer and struggle with mental illness:
May the One who blessed our ancestors — Who named us Israel (Yisrael), those who “struggle,” Bless and heal those among us who struggle with mental well-being. May they acknowledge their own strength and resilience in persevering, May they treat themselves with forgiveness and patience, May they find others who share their experiences, so they know they are not alone, May they find help, compassion and resources when they are able to reach out for them, May they find others willing to reach out first when they cannot, And may they find inclusive and welcoming communities that will uplift and celebrate them. May the Holy One grant us the strength and resilience to support our loved ones, May we find the patience and forgiveness we need for ourselves and others, May we find solidarity and support from other caregivers, May we find the capacity to listen without judgment and with the intention to help when asked, May we find the ability to notice when others are struggling and reach out to them first, And may we create communities that accept, uplift and celebrate those among us who are struggling.
AMEN.

Happy Hanukkah!

Judaism teaches us that what we do with our lives is precious.  Adding meaning to all of our actions is a holy act- whether we are praying, eating, washing our hands, or partaking in normal, everyday activities, doing them with intention lifts the seemingly mundane to the level of holiness. Simply put, Judaism asks of us to act not mindlessly but with intention. Hanukkah, or  חנוכה ​means ‘Dedication’. As we light the Hanukkah candles, let our intent be meaningful with each night. 

Let us dedicate the 5th Candle to Acts of Compassion (Rachamim).  Rachamim also shares the same route verb as womb, or brotherhood.  Maimonides declared that “arrogant, cruel, misanthropic, and unloving persons were to be suspected of not being true Jews” (Yad, Issurei Bi’ah, 19:17). The Torah teaches us that G-d’s compassion is a reflection of our ability to show compassion to others. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Learn to do well; seek justice; relieve the oppressed; judge the fatherless; plead for the widow.”

May this 5th Candle of Hanukkah serve as a light of compassion for others.  Below is a prayer by Trisha Arlin:

Barukh Atah Adonai
Blessed One-ness, Blessed Connection,
Kadosh Barukh Hu:
We pray for all who are in pain
And all who cause pain.

We pray for those of us 
Who are so angry
That we have lost compassion for the suffering
Of anyone who is not a member of our group.
And we pray for those of us
Who cannot see the suffering
behind the loss of that compassion.

We pray for the strength
To resist the urge to inhumanity
That we feel in times of fear and mourning.
We pray for the courage
To resist the calls to inhumanity
That others may make upon us in times of crisis.

Barukh Atah Adonai
Blessed One-ness, Blessed Connection,
Kadosh Barukh Hu:
May we find relief from our hurts and fears.
And may we not, in our pain,
Lose our empathy
For the hurts and fears of others.
We pray for all who are in pain
And all who cause pain.

Amen

Let us dedicate the 4th Candle to upholding Human Rights:

In the Hanukkah story, the Maccabees fought for liberty, for the right to practice their religion, for the dignity of human freedom. Who are the Maccabees who stand for human rights in our world today?

Nelson Mandela is a Maccabee for helping South Africa emerge from a history of apartheid. He ensured that his society would be ruled by forgiveness and reconciliation, not by vengeance over the past.

The Dalai Lama is a Maccabee for representing peaceful resistance to the Chinese occupation of his native Tibet and has become a peace emissary to the world.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a Maccabee by helping this country face its racism and showed us a path to a better America.