Dear Friends,

As I write this article, we have just concluded our celebrations of Thanksgiving and look forward as a community to the Festival of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is a time of great joy and spirit in the Jewish tradition; a celebration of lights that symbolizes the endurance and vitality of the Jewish People, with an energy that burns brightly without end. 

The essential message of Hanukkah is indeed one that relates to our People’s ability to sustain despite most unfavorable odds – at numerous points in our history. One of the sustaining factors of Jewish life is the importance we attach to the performance of decidedly Jewish deeds to benefit the entire world. By this I mean, Judaism teaches that the notion of Mitzvah – Divinely ordained Commandment – is part of the sacred trust between God and the Jewish People, in which God grants us the gift of the unique message and wisdom of Torah while we respond by performing deeds in our world that help humanity to ascend to the spiritual and practical heights that God has always hoped for.  These Mitzvot – good deeds – are either ritual or interpersonal and either between humanity and God or related to relationships between people.

Therefore, at this time of year when we reflect upon that which has sustained us throughout the centuries, it is most important that we rededicate ourselves to the essential purpose of making a Jewish difference, both for the Jewish People and for the entire world. It is in this spirit that all of us in the Ner Tamid family should take advantage of a significant opportunity that we might share in together. 

For many years, CLAL and our Youth Department have joined together in the promotion and implementation of a Mitzvah of The Month. This program has involved our children, teens, and their families in a wide variety of volunteer efforts and collection drives on behalf of numerous organizations and programs that make real differences for real people. Everything from relief efforts in response to natural disasters to collections for local soup kitchens have been among the Mitzvot of The Month (good deeds of the month) that our Youth Department and CLAL have sponsored. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our entire community joined monthly with CLAL and our Youth Department in adopting their Mitzvah of The Month as our own? Wouldn’t it make a powerful statement to our children, to ourselves, and to the larger community to which we belong? I have to believe that there could be no greater statement of support for the good that our children are learning to do as Jews than for us to join with them, hand in hand, in adopting and performing these important Mitzvot of The Month. 

As you prepare to celebrate Hanukkah this year, you will note that in this month’s issue of our bulletin, you will find a sheet of blessings and prayers to assist you in observing our Festival. Please also note on page 7, Ami Berlin’s thoughtful introduction of the Mitzvah of The Month sponsored by CLAL and our Youth Department. This month, let’s follow the lead of our children and teens. Next month, let’s join with them as partners in a broad-based, synagogue-wide effort to perform our Mitzvah of The Month. 

Hag Urim Sameach – May you and yours be blessed with a joyous Festival of Lights, 

Rabbi Isaac Jeret

Spiritual Leader