Season of Light

This year, for some unknown reason, I felt called to (loosely) observe the tradition of Hanukkah.  Every year involves presents for the grandchildren and cards to my kids' families, but I have not lit candles, seen a dreidel, or made latkes (potato pancakes) in I do not know how long.  I initially "blamed" this calling on hanging out with three specific friends from my spiritual community who are very interested in Judaism, Jewish mysticism, and Jewish ritual.  None of them were "born" members of the tribe but all have the calling, and one in particular recently aligned her Jewish soul with her physical self and converted.  Anybody who knows me is aware that I am not called to religion, ritual, or the "trappings" so this took me by surprise.  I actually told them via e-mail that this was all their fault.

I already have a menorah which has been in a cabinet unused for years.  Two days before the first candle I went on a search for Hanukkah candles.  I was unable to find them in the local grocery store but I did buy two boxes of latke mix.  I checked with one of the guilty parties mentioned above and was referred to the local synagogue.  I found one fairly close to my home, went the day before the official start, purchased my candles, and went home.  I then proceeded to invite a friend/neighbor Angela and her six year old daughter Maddie to join me for the candle lighting each evening.  This invitation has since grown to her extended immediate family.  

Since finding the candles, I was also able to find one store with a very small Hanukkah section and picked up a supply of dreidels.  Hanukkah for me is not complete without latkes and dreidels.  Every evening for the last four nights, Maddie and Angela come over and we light the appropriate number of candles.  Actually, Maddie lights them, I recite the Hebrew blessings, and Maddie reads the English translation.  Maddie got a dreidel the first night and when her cousins make it here, probably the last night, they will get their dreidels.

Now, this is not so remarkable, people do this every year, and sometimes do it up really big.  What I find interesting is the fact that Angela and her family, who do not know much about Jewish holidays, are so excited about something I usually ignore.  So, I started to look beneath the surface and was given some interesting insights.

This year, Hanukkah (The Festival of Lights) ends on the day of Christmas eve.  So the Festival of Lights this year leads right into to the Christian celebration of the birth of The Messiah.  The mystics of all traditions follow the Light to attain oneness with God while the Bible quotes Jesus as saying "I am the Light of the World".  I personally do not accept Jesus as The Messiah but I do accept him as a rabbi, mystic, and one of the teaching masters of my Spiritual path.  Since there are no coincidences, I find this personal Hanukkah renewal a very significant spiritual movement.  It is another means of bringing my consciousness into alignment with my Soul and beyond and sharing the message with others. And based on feedback from Angela, I sense she feels something mystical about this as well.  I feel the beginning of an annual holiday tradition between our families being created.  May we all know that we are one with The Light and one with The Holy Spirit!

Namaste.