Earlier this week, a story emerged about one of the hostages released from Gaza, Rimon Kirscht Buchshtav. She is a 36 year old woman from Kibbutz Nirim, and she was abducted with her husband Yagev. In the moments of her release, she was told to hold hands with her Hamas captors as they brought her to the Red Cross volunteers. She was told to hug the Red Cross volunteers in gratitude as she was switched over to them. She looked at the Hamas terrorist and said “No one is to touch us right now. We will walk on our own with our heads held high.”
I cannot fathom the trauma that Rimon and other hostages have experienced in these excruciating two months. Their strength is unbelievably inspiring. And Rimon’s conviction, clarity, and sense of pride in that moment moved me to tears. In the face of people wanting to destroy her, in the moments of a most intense existential threat, she demanded to walk with her head held high.
Over two thousand years ago, King Antiochus tried to repress the Jews. Jewish practices were banned and the Temple in Jerusalem was turned into a Pagan cult. It was a moment of true existential threat. But the Maccabees banded together as a group of Jewish fighters against this repression. They were adamant about what they stood for and who they were. They sought independence; they fought for their ability to move through their world - one that didn’t accept them - with a sense of pride in who they were. With their heads held high.
This week, when we begin Hanukkah, we’re meant to embody a similar message. I don’t know that during any previous Hanukkah seasons I've felt this as profoundly as I feel it today. But Hanukkah is about being proud of who we are and our tradition. Hanukkah is about us bringing light into the world, illuminating the dark places. When we put our menorah in the window and others see our light and our unique Jewish pride, we demonstrate that we do not capitulate to those that would rather us not exist. We light our candles with our heads held high.
I pray that the light brought by the Hanukkah candles helps to illuminate a very dark world. I pray for return. I pray for peace. I pray for love.
Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi Sarit
P.S. Please join me in taking pictures of you with your Hanukkah lights and tagging them on Facebook with #LightsofBethSholom
