WellspringsWinter 2014 / Chanukah 5775

A little nosh for the soul compliments of Chabad of the Lehigh Valley.

B”H

Guide & How To

For Chanukah

2014

ChanukahOn a Dime

A Time toLight Your

Child’s Way

The OrdinaryMiracle

Dedicated to the Love and Inspiration of the Lubavitcher Rebbe OB”M

Dear Friends,

Chanukah has always been special. It brings back warm feelings and memories. A mother’s delight when the latkes are grabbed up. A grandfather sitting by the menorah lights. A mircale that happened so long ago.

Chanukah is the holidays that always makes us proud. We put the menorah in a visile place for everyone to see. People who are not Jewish know of Chanukah and recognize it, it is on every calendar. It is a time when our Jewishness is

unabashadly displayed- healthy Jewish pride that we are able to exercise with our rights to relgious freedom that our lovely country affords us. In this day and age, we must make the lights brighter than ever. Whether we are lighting giant menorahs in the streets or setting candles near our windows, we spread the feeling of pride in our faith, pride in belonging to the Jewish people, and pride in being a part of a free nation. Have a Warm and Happy Chanukah,Rabbi Yaacov Halperin

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Easing Your Pain

The Chanukah lights are lit in the evenings preceding each of the eight days of Chanu-kah, beginning with Tuesday night, Decem-ber 16, 2014, after nightfall. Please see the section “Special Shabbat Requirements” for special instructions regarding lighting the candles before Shabbat.

ChanukahYour 2014

Guide

What’s Chanukah All About?Light Overcoming DarknessAlexander the Great was the leader of the Greek Empire who by the age of 21 had conquered most of the known world. He respected the Jews. He didn’t want to wage war against tiny Judea; he only required heavy taxes. the Talmud details many conversations that young Alexander had with the Jewish Sages, many of whom traveled to Greece to tutor royalty.After Alexander’s death, the Greek empire was split into three territories: Greece, Egypt and Syria. In 175 B.C.E., Antiochus IV rose to power over the Syrian territories, which included Israel. The Syrian Greeks, called Seleucids, were not interested in co-existence, but in assimilation.The Talmud, the Book of the Maccabees, Josephus and other works detail the events of Chanukah. Antiochus IV sent his ministers to force Greek culture on the people of Israel. Most Jews conformed.What else could they do against the might of the empire? The Zohar says of this period: the Greeks darkened the eyes of Israel with their decrees.”

The festival of Chanukah is about light overcoming darkness. Our world is currently experiencing a particularly dark time. We have become apprehensive, even about opening the letters in our mailbox. Our sons, daughters, friends, and neighbors are half way around the world, fighting an enemy that has no borders.

“The soul of man is a lamp of G-d”(Proverbs 23:27). Our challenge, whether we are on the front lines, or fighting rush hour at home, is to bring light into the world. The reason the Chanukah candles are lit after nightfall

is to remind us that even in our darkest moments, we have the potential to illuminate if we kindle a flame.

Just Another Conquered TribeAntiochus IV did not build ghettos, force conversions, or set out to annihilate the Jewish people, as Pharaoh or Nebuchadnezzar had plotted before him. Neither did he intend to destroy their culture. Instead, he outlawed the

observance of specific mitzvot (Divine actions), predicting that when the Jews would cease to observe these, it would lead to the end of Judaism as a unique religion and nation. He wanted the Jews to be just another conquered tribe. And so, he declared war against their souls.

The Greeks were great philosophers. they acknowledged the mitzvot as part of a great culture, and the Torah as a great work of Jewish literature. What they would not tolerate was that “G-d, Creator of the Universe, ordained the practice of these mitzvot.” The Greeks set out to have the Jews forget “G-d’s Torah,” and to cease observing “G-d’s commandments.” Whenever we do a mitzvah, we become G–d’s autograph on His masterpiece, declaring for all that this is not a jungle where the strong devour the weak. It is a beautiful garden, filled with the light of its Creator.

Fewer in Strength and NumbersHellenism, the Greek culture, meant accepting its pagan gods and Greek philosophy. Jews who were sympathetic to the Hellenistic view quickly gained power and prominence. But many Jews remained loyal to their beliefs. Eliezer, a Kohen (Jewish priest), was executed because he refused to abandon his Jewish faith. Many Jewish women were murdered for having their sons

circumcised. Seven sons of Hanna, a simple Jewish woman, were put to death for refusing to bow down to pagan gods.

Despite the fact that the Maccabees were fewer in strength and in numbers, they stood up against the

oppressor with complete faith in G-d’s mercy. One lesson of Chanukah is that when we resolve to introduce spirituality into our lives, G-d assists us well beyond our limitations. G-d tells His children, “Make for Me a small opening, like the eye of a needle, and I will open for you an opening through whichcaravans can enter”(Midrash). We simply need to begin the process for G-d to help us attain what which we perceived as unattainable.

“Whenever we do a mitzvah we become G–d’s autograph on His masterpiece, declaring for all that this is not a jungle where the strong devour the weak. It is a beautiful garden, filled with the light of its Creator.”

A World Without a CreatorAntiochus IV outlawed three specific mitzvot and rendered their practice punishable by death. These mitzvot were “Shabbat,” which is a testimony to the fact that there is a Creator Who rested on the seventh day; “Blessing the New Month,” which determines when Jews can sanctify their holidays; and “Circumcision,” which imbues holiness into the human body. The spiritual ghetto that Antiochus IV tried to force on the Jewish people was a world without a Creator, time without sanctity, and people with no connection to the Divine. Though a person might have a burning desire to be spiritual, a concrete action is needed to ignite a flame. Lacking the oil of genuine substance, one’s passion can quickly fade, failing to introduce any enduring light into the world. A life without mitzvot is like a wick without oil—it yields little or no light.

There are nine branches on the Chanukah menorah, even though Chanukah is celebrated for eight days. The ninth branch is the “shamash”, the servant candle, which stands apart from the other candles. This candle is lit so that when we make use of the Chanukah light, we do so from the shamash, and not from the eight Chanukah flames. “ …These eight Chanukah flames are kodesh (holy). We are not permitted to make use of them, only to gaze at them” (Chanukah liturgy). Th e Hebrew word “kodesh” literally means separate and beyond. In Judaism, although we can appreciate holy objects and observances on many levels, they are essentially higher than our nite understanding and perception, since they are rooted in the Innite. It was this “holiness” that the Greeks failed to destroy. And it is this holiness that is manifested in the lights of Chanukah.

Israel was Finally FreeMattisyahu the Kohen, and his five sons, began to challenge the Greek strongholds with a group of followers called the Maccabees. Historical sources estimate their numbers at 6,000, while Antiochus IV sent 40,000 troops to overwhelm them. Yehudis, a young widow, used cunning tactics to assassinate Holofernes, a vicious Seleucid general. After significant losses in the cities of Shechem and Beit Choron, Antiochus IV sent an additional 65,000 troops. The Maccabees fought bitter, yet intelligent battles that are studied by military tacticians to this very day.

After three years and thousands of lives, Israel was finally free. On Chanukah, we celebrate two miracles: the victory of the Maccabees over the forces of Antiochus IV in the battlefield, and the miracle of the oil, which burned for eight days. The

victory in the battlefield was miraculous, but it was physical, limited by time and space. The miracle of the oil, which enabled the Jewish people to resume the service in the holy Temple, was spiritual. Jews around the world emulate this miracle and spirituality today by observing Chanukah.The Chanukah struggle is found within each of us. Chassidic teachings explain that we have two souls. One soul is drawn to the spiritual, the other to the physical. We may reconcile this duality by being involved with the material world, but toward a spiritual end.

“ It was this “holiness” that the Greeks

failed to destroy. A

nd it is th

is holiness t

hat

is manifested in the lights o

f Chanukah.”

This is one reason why there are so many mitzvoth in the Torah, all of them involving physical action.When the physical is engaged for spiritual purposes, the conflict is transformed into peace and harmony. A world of peace begins with inner peace. When one makes peace within, it has an effect on his or her home, environment, and eventually the entire world.

Kindness is ContagiousThe name “Chanukah” is rooted in several different, yet related, sources. It comes from “kah,” the Hebrew equivalent of 25, and “chanu,” meaning rest. It is also connected with the words “inauguration” (chanukat) and “education” (chinuch). On the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, the Maccabees rested from their battle. th ey marched victoriously into the holy Temple in Jerusalem, ready to reinaugurate the holy service. they would forever serve as role models, or educators, to future generations.

What does a soul look like? Look at the flame of a candle. The wick and candle anchor a flame; a physical body grounds the soul, forcing the soul to do its job, to give light and

warmth. Th e human body, precious and holy, is likened to the holy Temple.

Kindness is contagious. When our soul tells our body to do a kind deed, both the soul and body are aected. Eventually, other souls around us awaken and influence their bodies to do the same. Before long, we create an international epidemic of kindness. This is one reason why

the Chanukah menorah is placed where it can be seen from the street, either in the doorway across from the mezuzah or near a window, reminding us of our duty to share the spiritual light of warmth and wisdom with our surroundings.

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The Symobolism of OilVictory turned bittersweet when the Maccabees found that the Temple was desecrated and the pure oil needed to light the menorah was delayed. Miraculously, the Maccabees discovered a single jar of pure oil, with the seal of the Kohen Gadol (Jewish high priest) intact. With this oil, the holy Temple was reinaugurated. Why didn’t the Seleucids just destroy the oil? Oil is a symbol for holiness. It can permeate anything, yet when placed in water, it rises to the top. Delayed, not destroyed, oil is exactly what Antiochus IV wanted. He allowed the Jews to adhere to their culture and keep their laws, as long as it was “touched” by the Greek ideals and philosophy.Chassidic teachings explain that despite any entity that tries to sever our connection to G-dliness, the essence of a soul can never be delayed. is spark of holiness continuously burns and longs to be fanned into a great flame.

Th e universe was created to perpetuate light, and it is inherently good. But there are times when darkness invades G-d’s world. At such times, we search for the hidden “single jar of pure oil” the pure and indestructible spark of Creation, which radiates goodness and holiness.

The MiracleTh e Maccabees had done all that was physically possible, but the small jar of oil was only enough to light the candles of the menorah for one day. To prepare more oil would require a process of at least seven days. After defeating the world’s most powerful army and gaining religious freedom for generations to come, the Maccabees were not about to give up. Th ey lit the menorah with the little oil they found, and miraculously, the menorah shone for eight days, plus 2000 years, as Chanukah continues to illuminate our home and world today.

Why does G-d perform miracles? Without miracles, such as the oil found in the holy Temple, one might believe that the laws of physics deny reality. However, once we see the inexplicable, we witness a transcendent reality and attain a higher consciousness. We can then look back at physics, point with our finger and realize, “Th is too is a miracle.” Th e Baal Shem Tov said, “ The difference between nature and a miracle is the frequency.” The Kabbalah teaches that the ultimate miracle is not the splitting of the sea or the sun standing still. It is described as the subtle and, at the same time, dramatic transformation of the universe that will oc-cur with the arrival of Moshiach. At that time, nature itself will uncover its miraculous essence. What is now perceived as a wall between the physical and spiritual will be revealed as a bridge. How can we bring about this miracle? With the light of our collective mitzvot.

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ChanukahHow-To

The Chanukah lights are lit in the evenings preceding each of the eight days of Cha-nukah, beginning with Tuesday night, December 16, 2014, after nightfall. Please see the section “Special Shabbat Requirements” for special instructions regarding light-ing the candles before Shabbat.

Both men and women are obligated to light the Chanukah menorah, or to participate in the household menorah lighting. Children should be encour-aged to light their own menorahs. Students and singles who live in dormi-tories or their own apartments should kindle menorahs in their own rooms.

Who Lights the Menorah?

Many have the custom to place the menorah in a doorway opposite the me-zuzah (such is the custom of Chabad-Lubavitch), so that the two mitzvot of mezuzah and Chanukah surround the person. Others place it on a window-sill facing a public thoroughfare. (If placed on the windowsill, it should be no higher than 20 cubits—about 29 feet—above street level.)

Where to Place the Menorah

Chanukah How-To Continued...

The Chanukah lights should consist of lamps

or candles—i.e., a flam-mable fuel that feeds a

visible flame via a wick. The most ideal way to ful-fill the mitzvah

is with cotton wicks in olive oil, or beeswax

candles; paraffin candles or other types of candles or lamps are also ac-

ceptable, but not gas lights or elec-tric lights. (If circumstances do not

allow the use of an open flame, a proper rabbinical authority should

be consulted.)

The lamps or candles must contain enough fuel, at the time of the lighting, to burn until half an hour after nightfall. (“Nightfall” is the point at which it grows dark enough for three average-sized stars to be visible—about 20–30 minutes after sunset, depending on the location.)

The lamps or candles should be arranged in a straight row, and should be of equal height. The shamash—the “servant” candle that kindles the other lights—should be placed apart from the rest (higher, outside the row, etc.).

On the first night of Chanukah, one light is kin-dled on the right side of the menorah. On the fol-lowing night add a second light to the left of the first, and kindle the new light first, proceeding from left to right, and so on each night.

Setting up your Menorah

What Time to Light the MenorahThe Chanukah lights are kindled in the evening preceding each of the eight days of Chanukah. The custom of many communities (and such is the Chabad-Lubavitch custom) is to light the menorah shortly after sunset; other commu-nities light it at nightfall. In either case, the menorah must contain enough fuel at the time of the lighting to burn until 30 minutes after nightfall. Note: The standard Chanukah candles last only approximately 30 minutes. If using those candles, then light after nightfall every night (aside from Friday—see below).

If one did not kindle the Chanukah lights early in the evening, they can be kin-dled later, as long as there are people in the streets (or others awake in the house).

On the first night of Chanukah (Tuesday, Decem-ber 16) , recite all

three blessings. On all subsequent nights,

recite blessings number 1 and 2.

1. Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to kindle the Chanukah light.

1. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai Eh-lo-hei-noo Meh-lech Ha-olam A-sher Ki-deh-sha-noo Beh-mitz-vo-tav Veh-tzi-va-noo Leh-had-lik Ner Cha-noo-kah.

2. Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who performed miracles for our forefathers in those days, at this time.

2. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai Eh-lo-hei-nu Meh-lech Ha-olam Sheh-a-sa Nee-sim La-avo-tei-noo Ba-ya-mim Ha-hem Bee-z’man Ha-zeh.

3. Blessed are You, L-rd our G-d, King of the universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this occasion.

3. Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai Eh-lo-hei-noo Me-lech Ha-olam Sheh-heh-cheh-ya-noo Veh-kee-yeh-ma-noo Veh-hee-gee-a-noo Liz-man Ha-zeh.

Blessings to Recite Before Lighting the Menorah

Ha-nei-rot ha-lo-lu o-nu mad-li-kinAl ha-te-shu-ot ve-al ha-ni-sim ve-al ha-nif-la-ot,She-a-see-ta la-avo-tei-nu ba-ya-mim ha-heim biz-man ha-zeh,Al ye-dei ko-ha-ne-cha ha-ke-do-shim,Ve-chol she-mo-nat ye-mei cha-nu-kah ha-nei-rot ha-la-lu ko-desh hem,Ve-ein la-nu re-shut le-hish-ta-meish ba-hen,E-lo lir-o-tan bil-vad, ke-dei le-ho-dot u-le-ha-leil le-shim-cha ha-ga-dolAl ni-se-cha ve-al nif-le-o-te-cha ve-al ye-shu-o-te-cha.

Translation:

We kindle these lights [to commemorate] the saving acts, miracles and wonders which You have performed for our forefathers, in those days at this time, through Your holy priests. Throughout the eight days of Chanu-kah, these lights are sacred, and we are not permitted to make use of them, but only to look at them, in order to offer thanks and praise to Your great Name for Your miracles, for Your wonders and for Your salvations.

Blessings to Recite After Lighting the Menorah

It is traditional to give all children Chanukah gelt (money).Of course, this beautiful custom adds to the children’s happiness and festive spirit. In addition, it gives adults an opportunity to give the children positive reinforcement for exemplary behavior, such as dil-igence in their studies and acts of charity.Chanukah gelt is given to children after lighting the menorah. The children should be encouraged to give charity from a portion of their money.

2. Chanukah GeltBecause of the great significance of oil in the story of the Chanukah miracle, it is traditional to serve foods cooked in oil. Among the most popular Cha-nukah dishes are potato latkes (pan-cakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts).

It is also customary to eat cheesy foods on Chanukah, in commemoration of the bravery of Yehudit.

3. Holiday Foods

It is customary to increase one’s daily giving to charity. On Fridays we give double the amount, to account for Shabbat.4. Extra Charity

One is not to benefit from the light of the candles, only from the shamash and other sources of light. For the first half hour when the candles are burn-ing, it is customary to sit by the candles and tell stories relating to the holiday.

Work should not be done in the prox-imity of the burning candles. Women have a custom to refrain from house-hold work during the half hour that the lights are burning, to honor the brave Jewish women who played a sig-nificant role in the Chanukah story.

1. Sitting by the Lights

Dreidel!Spin the

A dreidel is a pointy, four-sided top which can be made to spin on its pointy base. There are Hebrew letters on each one of its sides, which stand for deep cabalistic notions but can also serve in small-time gambling.Assuming you’re not a kabalist, you need to know this:

The game is played by distributing to all participants either nuts, chocolates, or Chanukah Gelt (coins). Everyone places a coin in the middle and someone spins the Dreidel. If the Dreidel stops showing Nun, he neither wins nor loses. If Gimmel, he wins the entire pot. If Hay, he gets half the pot. If Shin, he must put one in the pot.

The game then continues with the next person taking his turn, and so on around the circle until someone has won every-thing. It is of course nice to distribute plenty of consolation prizes so that everyone can go home a winner!

Nun stands for nes, miracle. If you roll a Nun you neither pay nor gain anything.Gimel stands for gadol, great. If you roll a Gimel you win everything.Hay stands for haya, was. If you roll a Hay you win half.Shin stands for sham, there. If you roll a shin you lose everything.

Where did this wonderful game originate? Truth be told, it was a game of life or death. The Greek Syrians passed a series of laws outlawing the study of Torah as a religious work. They additionally outlawed many types of ritual commandments like circumcision and Shabbat observance. The Jews were compelled to take their Torah learning “underground,” for they knew, a Jew without Torah is like a fish out of water.

In order to disguise their activity the Children of Is-rael had to resort to learning Torah in outlying areas and forests. Even this plan was not foolproof, for the enemy had many patrols. The Jews therefore brought along small tops that they would quickly pull out and play with after secreting away their texts, so that they could pretend to be merely playing games.

This ruse did the trick, and the unbroken tradition of Torah scholarship thankfully remained intact!

Chanukah Schedule

A Time toLight

I realized as I put my book down that my prayers had essentially been in vain. Mommy didn’t need to pray, Mommy wanted to pray and there’s a big difference. What Mommy needed to be doing, what her only obligation to be doing, was to pay attention to the needs of her toddler.

A friend of mine came to me one day exasperated. She was having a very frus-trating day. At the end of her tale she shared with me that she wanted noth-ing more then to call and talk to her mother, but she said that she couldn’t. I asked her why not. She told me that her mother never had time for her, never listened to her. Even as a child her mother had always been “too busy” to pay attention to her. As a result she simply shut down and stopped confiding in her. She told me that she wouldn’t tell her mother about her day because she couldn’t stand the thought of being ignored - again.

From early spring until the fall the Jewish people get caught up in a whirlwind of holidays: Purim, Passover, Shavuot, the fasts of the 17th Tammuz and the 9th of Av and then of course Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Sim-c h a t Torah. When you are in the middle of festivities, planning,

cooking, shopping, cleaning, and building, you can more easily reach a feeling of closeness to G-d and His Torah. But then comes the cold winter months of nothingness,

and perhaps, distance. However, in the middle of this very darkness, G-d gave us the festival of lights, Chanukah.

Chanukah has two very important aspects about it: publiciz-ing and educating. It’s one of the only holidays where we are commanded to actually go out and “publicize” the miracle. I’ll never forget seeing the large Meno-rah proudly standing in the middle of Union Square in my native San Francisco. I continue to be

captivated by the lights as my husband and I walk the streets of Jerusalem,

admiring the wicks of the many Menorah’s flickering from the

I sat down to say some Psalms and pray as my toddler pulled on my skirt. His pulling and pleading be-come more insistent and I ignored him. I knew his cries were a result of being tired and cranky and I had thought that he could wait. “Mommy needs to pray.”

Being ignored only made him more frustrated and he ran over to the bookshelf, a look of anger on his little round face. Looking straight at me, he took a book and slammed it to the floor, hoping to provoke me. I didn’t flinch, which was not the reaction that he wanted. He sat down to cry and I quickly fin-ished praying.

Your Child’s WayBy Elana Mizrahi

“ignite a spark, captivate, and get their attention”

windows and doorposts of every home.

Publicizing is an easy component of Chanukah to understand, but what does it have to do with education? The word “Chanukah” means inauguration and has the same root as the word “leChanech ”- to educate and “Chinuch” - education. In the middle of the dark winter months, G-d performed miracles for us. He enabled a few Jews to win a war of survival against the huge Greek army and he enabled the amount of one day’s worth of oil to burn for eight. Of the two miracles, we publicize the one of the burning oil.

What happens when you light a candle in the dark? It illuminates everything and grabs your attention. This is Chanukah, and this is the lesson of education. Before your child acts out and misbehaves to get your attention and before, G-d forbid, your child shuts down and distances himself from you, ignite a spark, captivate, and get their attention.

This is the festival of Chanukah. It’s the holiday where G-d tells us, “Hey I’m here, don’t turn away from Me. Even in your most obscure moment, I’m the flame that illuminates your way.” With the miracle of a burning light G-d taught us this key on how to raise and educate our children. Be their light and grab their attention.

Originally from northern California and a Stanford University graduate, Elana Mizrahi now lives in Jerusalem with her husband and children. She is a doula, massage therapist and writer. She also teaches Jewish marriage classes for brides

1 Tbsp. sugar3 eggs

1/2 cup oil1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup nondairy creamer1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp. grated lemon peel6 to 7 cups flour

Oil for fryingConfectioners’ sugar

One of Devorah’s favorite recipes for a tasty holiday treat!

Ingredients

Sufganiyot

In a large mixer bowl place eggs, oil, sugar, nondairy creamer, vanilla, and grated lemon peel. Add yeast mixture. Add flour until soft dough is formed (dough need not be dry. It should be softer than challah dough). Knead for a few minutes. Cover and allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1.5 hours.Roll out dough 1/2 ince thick on floured surface. Cut out circles with a doughnut cutter.Place 2 or 3 inches of oil in a 2-quart saucepan and heat over medium until hot. Place four doughnuts at a time in the oil. Brown on one side and then on the other. Remove with slotted spoon. Drain and cool on paper towels. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

Directions

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here are stretches of time – weeks,

sometimes months – where I wake up and feel ordinary. I go to my job, do homework with my kids, and feed the dog. I look for-ward to the weekends and do all I can to be a good parent and an all-around good per-son. I can’t speak for

everyone, but I’m sure many of us fall easily into our routines. Al-though I do constantly remind myself to be grateful and make it a point to pause for grat-itude each day, I some-times get caught up in the flow, forgetting the wonder of each mo-ment, each breath.

In a few weeks, we’ll gather with family to

enjoy jelly donuts. I love jelly donuts. I’m sure you probably do too. I also love light-ing the menorah with my family and friends, while the smell of fried latkes fills the air in my kitchen. The can-dles burn bright inside while a chilly evening breeze blows outside. It’s Chanukah.

Still in the wake of a meaningful experience over the High Holi-days, I started thinking more about Chanukah and its catchphrase – “A Great Miracle Hap-pened There”. The sound of that phrase seems so finite that it meshes well with my thoughts of being or-dinary. But does it? It happened there, so could it happen here?

It happened to them, could it happen to us? If you dig a bit below the surface, under-neath all of that can-dle wax and powdered sugar, I believe that you just might be able to find the answer.

Literally, Chanukah means dedication. And in today’s world, a

lot of us are dedicated to a lot of things. We coach our kids’ soc-cer teams, adhere to a daily workout routine, and light candles every Friday night. Because if we truly believe in the story of Chanukah, then we know that when we are dedicated, G-d creates miracles.

According to good old Wikipedia, a miracle

is defined as an event not explicable by nat-ural or scientific laws. To me, this would be something extraor-dinary to see, like if I woke up one morning and could sing like Whitney Houston. Or even better, like a small band of Jewish scholars overcoming a powerful Greek army. The To-

rah itself is chock full of miracles and stories of Divine Providence. However, as I roll out of bed in the morning and start the coffee, it’s hard to grasp the concept that a miracle could be happening to me right at that exact moment. Could it be?

For instance, the Tal-mud tells us: “The one to whom the miracle is

T h e O r d i n a r yM i r a c l e

By Angela Goldstein

T

““““ “Because if we truly believe in the story of Chanukah, then we know that when we are dedicated, G-d creates miracles.”

610.351.6511

Visit us online or call us at:

happening, does not recognize the miracle.” And the Tanya goes on to say that the greatest miracles are those which He alone knows about, where “the recipient of the miracle is not aware of his own miracle”. What does this mean? Can I really sing like Whitney Houston? Not quite.

I think that Chanukah is a reminder that not only did G-d create a miracle for the Maccabees, but He also creates miracles for us on a daily basis. Moreover, these extraordinary miracles remind us that all of life, even the tiniest facets of our very ordinary days, is in fact one big miracle.

After I thought it through, it amazed me how simple the concept actually was; it then perplexed me as to why it was so difficult to practice this belief on a daily basis. It takes work. It takes dedication. It takes Chanukah. I think that we are all truly blessed that a holiday like Chanukah comes around every year. It’s our little ‘Divine Reminder’ that surprise visits from your mother, throwing in a load of laundry, and watching a child laugh for the first time are just as much a miracle as one jar of oil burning for eight days. Even when the last Chanukah candle burns down to the quick, light continues to shine into our world for as long as we allow ourselves to see it.

On behalf of my entire family, I wish you and yours a very happy, safe, and bright Chanukah. May we all sing loud, play a game of dreidel (or two), and merit to notice ALL of the miracles in our everyday lives. Chag Sameach.

embassybank.com

ur experience so far has been amazing and truly in-spiring. When the opportunity arose to come down

to Allentown, PA to join the Halperins on their Shlichos, the thought was scary. There were so many concerns, who will I walk to? Most importantly, how can I live without my family and friends, right around the corner? However, it made us stop and reevaluate our lives. We needed to make a ‘din v’cheshben’ and take stock of what we are supposed to be doing in this world. The easiest way out was to decline the offer and stay in our comfort zone, but we realized that there is a big world out there that needs to be lit up; and if we can contribute to that even a tiny bit, our lives will be so much more rich and fulfill-ing and we will not be swallowed up in our mundane routines. The transition between living in NY and moving to Allentown has been quite an adventure. Yet, we have been welcomed into this beautiful community, and met such wonderful people; we already feel like part of the crowd.

What stuck out to us right away was the kindness and homey feeling we received from the community, and the devotion and

care of Rabbi Yakov and Devorah. We’ve gotten kosher pack-ages at our front door, bottles of wine and lots of well wishes! One couple even told us they were going to be our new family, our “adoptive parents”! We felt right away like we belonged and we are so happy to be here!

Our goal in moving here, is to build on more community pro-grams to the Lehigh Valley community. We will be overseeing a few programs for Chabad, which we hope will take off and grow with much success. The programs include:

The friendship Circle: A program for special needs children. The friendship Circle’s unique formula unites teen volunteers with children with special needs in a friendship that deeply en-riches both lives. Through a wide range of Jewish, social, and educational innovative programs and activities, the two share fun and love!SOS: Smile on seniors. Smile On Seniors is a unique volunteer program, created to enhance the lives of local seniors. Many of us have parents or family who are seniors, living alone or in senior facilities, that would greatly benefit from an extra visit from someone who isn’t family. Family can not always visit as often as desired, and not always is there someone else to sup-plement those visits. And that’s where Smile On Seniors steps in. SOS matches local volunteers with local seniors for a weekly visit, bringing joy and a sense of caring to many

Camp Gan Israel: CGI is the Jewish Day camp which provides an enriched, fun filled summer for your child. It is not just a break from the school routine, rather it’s a comprehensive program designed to strengthen the body and soul. It provides your child with a rich and wholesome summer vacation of fun and excitement along with friendship and meaningful educa-tional experiences. We are looking forward to being part of this wonderful com-munity, and building lots of relationships, and we hope we can contribute to the amazing work Rabbi and Devorah Halperin have done here thus far!

- Rabbi Hershel and Mushkie Spalter

We’d like to wish a warm welcome to our new residents

Rabbi and Mrs. Spalter.

O

“Mom, can I have an iPhone for Chanukah?”

Like it or not, Chanukah gifts are one of the main ways that many Jewish families try to counteract society’s attrac-tions at this time of year. But in

th i s

year’s economic situation, buying mega-gifts for the kids is difficult, if not impossible, for many Jewish families.

So what are Jewish parents to do?

The basic approach I share with parents is to remember that the greatest thing we can give our children is ourselves. Children need and want our time and attention. When they get good quality time with us, the lack of material

things and toys is a minor issue, if one at all. When they don’t get the love and attention they crave, they

need more toys and material ac-quisitions to help

fill their emotional holes. Not getting the mega-toys then becomes a real sticking point.

Of course the kids should still get some presents—and something they like—but gift-giving shouldn’t be the focus of your Chanukah this year—or any year, for that matter.

Practically, this means get-ting home from work earlier to light the Chanukah can-dles with the kids, planning out Chanukah activities, and canceling or minimizing any adult commitments in order to focus on the kids. Most kids are in school for Chanu-kah, or most of it, but don’t let the week be like any oth-er week. Each day should be special in some way.

Here are some low-cost or no-cost activities to help you get started. I suggest different activity nights, but certain activities can be combined and some evenings can be just “hang out with the fam-ily” nights. Don’t stick to the list—figure out what is right for your family.

These are, of course, only some of the ideas out there. Look online for more. Ask the kids what they want to do, emphasizing that the ac-tivities should be free or low-cost.

And make sure to emphasize to the kids how happy you are that Chanukah has arrived so you can spend more time with them.

Chanukah Dime

Spinning Dreidels:This can be a whole evening’s activity. Get a bunch of cheap and fun dreidels and tops. Buy a large pack of chocolate coins, jelly beans, toffees or whatever. Get down on the floor and play with the kids. Some families organize tour-naments such as a Dreidel World Series. Don’t forget to let the kids win.

Outdoor Chanukah Lightings These are organized by Chabad Houses around the world, and are a favorite with children and parents alike.

Frying Latkes Make it into a family affair, and watch the oil.

Make Your Own Apple Sauce: It is fun and easy. Peel and chop and boil. (Fill pot halfway with apples, the rest is water. Add something sweet.)

Family Party: Designate one evening for a family get-together. Include as many relatives as you can. This can become a looked-for-ward-to family tradition.

Friends Party:Let the kids invite over their friends one evening. This can be combined with one of the activities mentioned here, or do-ing something else the kids want to do.

Crafts Night: Look online for a variety of craft ideas for Chanukah. Choose a few and have fun!

Star Gazing:What is more appropriate on the Festival of Lights than to watch the stars? Most city folk today rarely see a sky full of stars. Wait for a clear evening and drive

on a

Crafts Games Family TimeBy Doron Kornbluth

“emphasize to the kids how happy you are that Chanukah has arrived so you can spend more

time with them.”

into the countryside. Bring a blanket and lie down to look up at the stars. Alter-natively, or in addition to this, go to the planetarium.

Edible Chanukah Shapes: Make meno-rahs and dreidels out of cookies. You can find cookie-cutters in the shape of the Star of David, or combine two triangles.

Book Reading Night: Go to the Jewish bookstore or library and choose a few Chanukah- or gener-al-Jewish-themed story books. Hundreds exist, and many are quite good.

Movie Night: Get the popcorn, pillows and blankets, and cuddle up together as you watch one of your favorite series of Itche Kadoozy

together.

City Activities: Scan your local newspaper for fun winter activities.

Chanukah Snowball Fight: Depending on the weather and temperature in your location, use the cold to your advantage. Make a Greek soldier out of cardboard, stand him in the yard, and have the kids be the Maccabees and throw snowballs at him until he gets knocked down.

Greek Bowling: Each pin they knock down is a Greek soldier. For each soldier they get a choc-olate coin, etc.

Chesed Night: Chesed means kindness. Choose an eve-ning and go do a family activity of car-ing. Pack food for the homeless. Visit an old age home or hospital to bring Cha-nukah cheer. Do something for others and let the kids see that being Jewish is about giving, not taking.

Doron Kornbluth is a bestselling author of Why Be Jewish?, Raising Kids to LOVE Be-ing Jewish, and the newly released Crema-tion or Burial? A Jewish View (all by Mosai-ca Press). A renowned international lecturer, Doron speaks in over 50 cities a year to all types of audiences, on many subjects. Doron is also an inspirational licensed Israeli Tour Guide who offers fascinating and inspira-tional tours to individuals, families and groups. Repreinted courtesy of chabad.org.

Somethin

g Exciting is Coming!

Somethin

g Exciting is Coming!

Camp Gan Israel is a camp dedicated to enrich-ing the lives of children from diverse Jewish back-grounds and affiliations through a stimulating camping experience. CGI of the Lehigh Valley is part of the largest and fastest growing network of day camps, enjoying a reputation as a pioneer in Jewish camping, with innovative ideas and creative activities, to both provide enjoyment and inspire children to try new and exciting things!Camp provides a truly enriching experience that cannot be du-plicated in any other environment or under any other circum-stance. Camp is a child-oriented world. A camper is at leisure to daydream in a fashion not permitted by the pressures of the tightly scheduled adult-run world of home and school. A craving

Great Programs for Big

Kids too!

Plans are already under way for 2015 at Camp Gan Izzy!

New Website coming soon!www.ganisraelpa.com

for adventure may be fulfilled by the excitement of a lazer tag trip or camping out under the stars. With adults in the background primarily to ensure health and safety, the child gains the experience of living within a small “com-munity” of his or her peers.

Swimming craftstrips

& more!

Each year, the bright lights of Chanukah cause me to wonder how we can better kindle the passion for Judaism and the Jewish people among the next generation of American Jews. Coincidentally, I have been reading about the physical nature of light, and I have come to appreciate ways in which the science of candle-lighting can inform educators seeking to engage Jews of all ages.

Here’s a simple explanation of what happens when we light a Cha-nukah candle (the same applies to olive oil). Candles are packed with carbon and hydrogen. The heat of the flame that lights the candle causes the carbon and hydrogen atoms in the candle to move around, or jiggle. In jiggling, the atoms of the candle first become a

gas and then approach and combine with oxygen in the surrounding air to form

carbon dioxide and water. The can-dle burns and disappears because it turns into carbon dioxide and water vapor that we do not see.

The combining of the carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms gener-

ates more heat, which in turn jiggles more of the atoms in the candle, lead-

ing to more carbon dioxide and water and more heat. The chain reaction will continue until there is no fuel left. This is not the end of the story, of course, since the carbon dioxide and water are ultimately absorbed by growing trees, whose wood serves as fuel for new fires.

The critical role of heat in jiggling the atoms is clear. Where does the light of the flame come from? It turns out that the light is not a result of the jiggling of the atoms but of the change in energy levels of the

elec-trons in the participating atoms. Light is emitted when excited electrons return to less-excited states. Great mysteries remain about the nature of light, which acts at differ-ent times in mutu-ally-contradictory ways. Scientists have devel-oped math-e m a t i c a l equations that enable us to har-ness and exploit light, but physicists are no better than poets at explaining its in-herent nature.

It seems to me deeply appropriate that we commemorate the miracles of Cha-nukah – which involved reclaiming sov-ereignty over physical land and regaining spiritual freedom – by lighting candles, an act that transforms both matter and ener-gy. Viewing the candles through the prism of science deepens my appreciation of the extent to which the natural world in which we live is itself miraculous. And the science behind the candle lighting does even more:

Reflecting on Chanukah:Sparking a Chain Reaction of

Jewish Engagement

“All the raw

material needed to transform

Jewish life is in our hands.”

By Yossi Prager

Inspiring a Love for Judaism.

610.351.6511

www.chabadlehighvalley.com

it provides some principles that can inform our thinking as philanthropists and Jewish educators. Here are my takeaways, energizing young people to be creators:

Like a fire, Jewish educators need to start a chain reaction. The goal of Jewish education should be to inspire students to gen-erate their own light and heat that will further inspire others.

Like a fire which can only get started with sufficient heat, education requires that passions be raised. Students will only agree to be part of a chain reaction if their Jewish education causes them to care deeply. This has two implications. First, the education has to be sufficiently rich and immersive to gen-erate passion. Second, it has to feel relevant and meaningful to students. In this regard, I was impressed by the range of the high school Judaic courses at Golda Och Academy, which was described by Flora Yavelberg, the Judaic Studies Chair at the day school. Effective education requires offerings that are both substantive and responsive to the interests of individual students.

Electrons emit light when they return to levels of lower en-ergy, not when they are excited. So should students. If

young people are meaningfully excited by a Jewish ed-ucational experience, whether at a day school, sum-

mer camp or Birthright Israel, the success should be seen over the long-term, when students re-

turn to their regular levels of energy. Daniel-la Pressner, Principal of Akiva Academy

in Nashville, Tennessee, provides a wor-thy conceptual model based on her ex-

perience with Music Row: a Jewish education that seeks to produce

Jewish grit, patience and pride – character traits that endure.

In the physical world, it is impossible to create new

matter and energy; the universe expands through

the transformation of the matter and ener-gy that already exists.

The same is true of our Torah and traditions.

All the raw material needed to transform Jewish life is in our hands. We need to raise the heat, light the flame and enable the

chain reaction to get started.

Reprinted Courtesy of Avi Chai Blog - www.avichai.org/blog

I have never been the best speaker, nor have I ever been one to know just the right thing to say to get a conversation going, but I am a good listener. I can listen to the same story, told by the same person, again and again, with repeated enthusiasm. This is one of the many reasons I decided to volunteer at a hospice. It’s not always easy, in fact, it can be downright miserable sometimes, so much so that occasionally I have to put it down and give myself a breather here and there; but it’s something that brings so much joy to my life.

It’s hard to explain how it can make me happy and sad at the same time, people ask me this question a lot. “If you’re going to volunteer, why hospice?” “It makes me happy,” I shrug. “How?”

I want to tell you about Rose. Rose wasn’t my patient, her husband actually was, but since he wasn’t often lucid, I would spend all of my time chatting with her. She was 91 years young, and while I know that statement is a common joke, I mean it in sincerity. At 91, in a nursing home with her unconscious husband, she took it upon herself to “exercise her brain” and was on a mission to learn as much as she could about everything. She loved to talk too, tell stories about raising her kids, debate politics, and tell you all about what she read in a National Geographic magazine.

I loved Rose, that happens sometimes. Something about someone immediately clicks with you, their personality is bright and warm, and immediately part of your heart is theirs. All I wanted to do was to make Rose feel special, and since I couldn’t be with her all of the time, I wanted how ever many days she had left to be as good as they could be. She laughed one day telling me that she colored sometimes, she thought it helped keep her brain sharp. Luckily at the time back to school sales were everywhere, the face that she made when I came in with drawing pads, colored pencils, markers, crayons, and coloring books was like a child on their birthday. I brought her magazines, Bob Newhart’s autobiography (a fantastically hilarious book by the way) just to make her happy. We would sit and color together, as I listened to her tell stories and marvel at the fact that she had lived so long. That is a complete high for me, having someone light up and be the cause.

I visited her as much as I could. The activities director of the home told me that she was afraid to join the other residents for lunch because her husband might need her, or worse, he might roll out of bed. I insisted one day that she go to lunch while I sat with her husband. While she R

OS

E By S

ara

Bress

ler R

utz

was gone, I took out the sketch pad and colored pencils I had gotten

her and doodled

absentmindedly. I wrote her name, Rose, in vines with leaves and flowers, I drew birds and

and a sun. Really it was nothing special, I’m sure a seventh

grader could’ve drawn the same thing. I closed the book when she came back and didn’t think a thing of it. The next time I saw her

sh e talked about the picture for ten minutes, she was convinced that she had found my dream job, she had discovered my hidden talent, I was to become a greeting card designer. I laughed with her and sat with her a while longer. Before I left I gave her my cellphone number, and told her that if she needed anything, or wanted some time to go to lunch to just call me. She smiled at me, and said “Thank you Sara.”

I was at my daughter’s dance, the first

class this year when I checked my email on my phone. There was a message from my supervisor saying Rose was unresponsive in the hospital. My heart crashed, in front of about 50 other dance moms I burst into embarrassing tears and had to go outside to collect myself. My heart crashed again when I visited her in the hospital, and for the first time, she was quiet. One week later I went to the memorial service at her nursing home, there I was crying

again. You would think I would be used to it, but I’m not, and I’m

not sure I ever could be. Like I said, some people are just so easy to love.

I sat there cursing myself through the service, I could have done more for her, I could have went to visit her more, something.

When the service was over I walked to the front to look at the pictures of her and her family. I stood staring at the one of her in her wedding dress when I heard someone behind me say “She’s the one that drew the picture.” “She is?” came another voice. Apparently, Rose had shown the picture I doodled to everyone that crossed her path after I drew it. A woman came up to me and took my hand, “You’re Sara?” she asked. It was her daughter-in-law. “I want to tell you that you touched Rose in a very special way,” and then she went on about my little picture again.

There is the joy. The fact that she spoke of me, the fact that something so simple like a drawing brought such excitement to her makes me happy beyond words, because I did that. Somehow, little me, quiet, painfully shy me, managed to make her last days just a little better.

Even as I think of this my chest aches just a little, out of sadness in the knowledge that I will never again sit with Rose and hear her stories, and joy because I was able to. Sadness

because her time is over, and joy because I was able to add something to it. I think that is the beauty in some mitzvahs, just a small little thing you can do out of goodwill can fill you with such an elation knowing your ability as a human being.

I think that a mitzvah not only betters the world, it betters the person doing it. Whether it’s lighting candles on Friday nights when you are giving a part of yourself to G-d, or it’s visiting an elderly person and giving part of yourself to another. The piece of yourself you give, you get back, but it’s changed.

It’s a learning experience, not only did I learn from the stories of Rose’s 91 years on this earth, but I learned that out of the millions of little things you do, some good and some bad, the things that seem insignificant, you never know which one will matter. Which one will mean something to someone? Which one will fill you with a warmth you can hold on to for all of your days?

I will remember Rose forever. I will remember the way she laughed, the way she folded her arms when in a story she told she made a point, the way she organized all of her books and art supplies on her bed. I am taking a break from hospice for a bit, but I will go back, and when I do there will come a time when I meet another person who takes a part of my heart with them, and though I don’t look forward to the ache, I look forward to what I can learn.

The piece of yourself you give, you get back, but it’s changed.

In the winter of 2011, I went on a

week-and-a-half long road trip to visit

friends in Georgia, a cousin’s engage-

ment party in Pittsburgh and finally

to an appointment in Williamsburg,

New York. Shortly before that, I sud-

denly became infatuated with the singer

Matisyahu and lost myself in the lyrics

often as I tried to drown the pain of los-

ing my sister a few months before to a

battle with leukemia for 7 years. On a

whim, I searched online and saw that

Matisyahu was performing in Phila-

delphia on Dec. 24, and my cousin’s

engagement shower was on Dec. 23.

I was elated to add this concert to my

itinerary.It was the evening of the concert and

after several wrong turns, accidentally

running red lights and somehow find-

ing a ticket to a sold out show on an on-

line aftermarket retailer, I had made it

to the concert. I was standing inside the

Theatre of Living Arts in Philadelphia,

staring around at the intimate venue,

noticing everyone and everything, in-

cluding a dreidel disco ball hanging

from the ceiling. This disco ball in the

shape of a dreidel, the famous Chanu-

kah toy, set the tone for the evening for

me. This was going to be me connect-

ing with other young Jews. This was my

time. My sister’s death for the first time

since her death was not at the forefront

of my mind. I was lost in this world I

had created of enveloping myself into

the current scene, paying attention to

what was happening in each moment.

I started to feel proud to be Jewish and

want to be with other Jewish people in

such a warm environment.

Before my sister died, I always identi-

fied as Jewish and, to some extent, was

always proud. I wanted to engage my-

self more into Jewish traditions, but I

just didn’t know how Judaism was going

to propagate in my life. After her death,

I began to seek out a stronger connec-

tion to Judaism by attending services

and even saying kaddish for my sister. I

was raised conservative, and this is what

I was told was the right thing to do. I

was reciting prayers and trying to con-

nect with the religion I was born into.

Now at the TLA, I was standing in a

room where members of the tribe were

a majority. I realized what I had been

missing all of these years I assimilated

to the rest of the world – a Jewish sup-

port system. I craved to be in a Jewish

environment.Matisyahu performed his show, it was

one of the first shows he performed after

he went through his transformation out

of Orthodox Judaism. I had no idea he

had gone through this transformation

“I started to feel proud to be Jewish”

Igniting the Soulby Chana Sara Elias

as was surprised when he came on stage. But that didn’t matter to me. That didn’t change the music that made me feel good and comforted me in my deepest times of need. Since this was his annual Festival of Lights tour during Chanukah, he lit a menorah on stage and sang the bracha in a haunting tune. My soul was electrified.After the concert, I was mingling outside the TLA for a while. I was invited by a woman in a Young Jewish Pro-fessionals group to join them at a local bar. I was tired and hungry, but my soul was burning for this identifi-cation with other Jews, to be a part of something larger than just myself. I accepted the offer graciously. It was a perfect end to an evening that I desperately needed.I had my first personal interaction on Dec. 26, 2011 with an observant Jew. I had no idea how Hassidic Jews operated. I was completely uneducated. When I tried to speak to someone coming out of a shul in Wil-liamsburg, I was disappointed at the lack of assistance I found while trying to find somewhere to say kaddish for my sister. One man finally did come over to help me. He was kind enough to look up on his computer at home a synagogue that I could daven in and gave me the address to a Chabad in Manhattan.Unfortunately, my appointment ran very close to the time for the minyan, and I couldn’t make it from Wil-liamsburg into the city in time. However, this man fol-lowed up with me to see if there was a minyan and if

I had made it. I was touched at the kindness of this person and was thankfully one person stopped to see how they could help another Jew. I knew there was something special in Judaism, I just had yet to find it, and this man made me want to find it. Once I was done with my road trip, I tried to connect so hard to Judaism. I tried to go to Shabbat dinners and looked up Birthright trips. While a lot of my efforts reaped no reward, I did become affiliated with a Chabad outreach program. I became close to the rabbi and his family who headed the program and eventually came to the services at his shul. I ended up giving my 3-year-old daughter a Jewish name at the synagogue by the Torah and eventually started keeping Shabbos. Slowly but surely, I evolved into who I am today, a completely Torah-observant Jew.Chanukah encourages us as Jews to get out and spread light throughout the world filled with darkness. We physically do this through home and public menorah lightings, or even with such contraptions as dreidel dis-co balls. However, nothing can compare to the physical light like the spiritual light one impresses upon another through a positive interaction. This is how my life was changed, through simple interactions with people who weren’t afraid to be kind.

Announcing the exciting launch of our new program: Smile on Seniors! An innovative program that aims to meet the needs of the seniors within our commu-nity by connecting them with willing and capable volunteers.

To find out more call:(610) 351-6511

Guideline Services

Chabad of the Lehigh Valley4457 Crackersport RoadAllentown, PA 18104www.chabadlehighvalley.com

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