Light over darkness
Dear Bluffton friends,
Within just a few days from now, as a community we will celebrate a whole host of special days. Most closely in our calendar is the American national holiday of Thanksgiving, ascribed originally to the British immigrant “Pilgrims” celebrating a feast of friendship with the Indigenous peoples they met in what we now know as seventeenth century Massachusetts. Of course, historians agree that that event didn’t occur.
Thanksgiving was first celebrated as a national holiday in 1863, during the Civil War, and was officially created in 1941, during World War II.
But looking forward, we anticipate two holidays, one in the Jewish tradition, and in in the Christian faith, but both similar scheduled in our religious calendars. Both are founded on historical events. Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus, is celebrated on the Roman holiday of Saturnalia. We do not actually know historically the birthdate of Jesus, but historians say December 25th was selected to align with these early holidays connected with the Winter solstice, the shorted day and longest night of the year. Christmas was officially designated December 25th in the fourth century.
Hanukkah in the Jewish tradition is even older, and is also connected to history. In this case the miraculous victory of the Jewish Maccabean revolt over the Greek king Antiochus IV, initiated by the high priest Mattathias and his sons, led by Judah the Maccabee. Their goal, to recapture the ancient Temple of Jerusalem from the Greeks, and cleanse it from its desecration by the Greeks, and finally, the entire sacred city of Jerusalem.
Why should I, the rabbi of Temple Oseh Shalom in Bluffton, spend my precious opportunity of writing for the Bluffton Sun, talking about Christmas and Hanukkah? Maybe because our world has become so fractured and broken, with all our differences pulling us apart through words or deeds unbecoming of far too many of our community. Why not emphasize our shared similarities? So let me share a few now.
On December 25th our Christian friends will celebrate by illuminating fragrant trees with lights or candles, join for festive foods and celebratory songs, exchange gifts, and celebrate a great miracle.
In the Jewish community, on the 25th of the Hebrew month of Kislev, both occurring around the winter solstice, Jewish families will illuminate lights or candles on the Chanukiah, the Hanukkah candelabra. We will join for festive foods and celebratory songs, exchange gifts, and celebrate a great miracle over eight days.
Both holidays commemorate light over darkness, joy over sadness, the recognition of good over evil, and the power of God in our lives. Let me wish all our Christian friends a Merry Christmas, and to our Jewish community, a Chag Urim Sameach- a Joyous festival of lights!
Devotedly,
Rabbi Ken Kanter
Rabbi Ken Kanter currently serves the local Jewish congregation at the Temple Oseh Shalom in Bluffton, SC.
