Imagining a New Hanukkah Blessing for All
Graphic by Angelie Zaslavsky
By Jodi Kushins December 2, 2016
My family is a blended family: I was brought up as a Conservative Jew and now practice Jewish Renewal; my husband was raised Catholic but is non-practicing; my step-children are secular — and I’m bringing up my biological kid to recognize herself as Jewish. This can make sharing holidays a challenge. The first year we lit the Chanukah candles together, I struggled with how to address the blessings.
Ultimately, we came up with our own. It speaks to the spirit of the traditional Hebrew blessing, but Jews and non-Jews can recite it without fear of contradicting their own religious or philosophical beliefs. It’s also easy to remember:
“Thank you for being here with me tonight, to celebrate the miracle of the Chanukah lights. Peace Out”
This year, I hope to inspire Jews and friends of Jews, and anyone unafraid to stand alongside those who are persecuted because their lives don’t mirror the dominant culture, to join us. I posted a formal invitation on my blog.
As Dan Brook and Richard H. Schwartz suggested in their article Another Miracle of Chanukah, “Chanukah represents the victory of the idealistic and courageous few, over the seemingly invincible power and dominant values of the surrounding society.”
At this time, when so much seems at stake in our nation and around the world, the message of Chanukah needs to be heard.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
