Once again the holiday season is upon us. It does not seem as if an entire year has passed since the last time I wrote those words. Who could imagine the harrowing events that would occur between my previous holiday greeting and this one?

Chanukah is often referred to as the Festival of Lights, and this year in particular we should look towards the concept of light to add meaning to our own feelings and understanding of current events.

We must look toward the light of understanding in order to attempt to comprehend the reasons behind the events of September 11. Without some kind of perspective on how these attacks could occur, we will have great difficulty predicting any such future actions against us.

We must look toward the light of courage so we can face our fears and apprehensions. This light helps us defeat the enemy’s sworn goal of destroying our way of life.

We must look toward the light of hope. We hope our leaders will make the right decisions while listening to us; the people who have so much invested in their actions.

We must look toward the light of compassion, so we might continue to extend our hand to help those who have suffered tremendous personal loss and who need our financial and spiritual support.

Ultimately, we must look toward the light of forgiveness. The time will come when this battle will end and we will be called upon to find it in our hearts to forgive those who have harmed us. This is something we must accomplish if we are ever to be able to move forward in our lives and as a society as a whole.

There are eight candles on the Chanukah menorah; I have accounted for five of them. It is up to all of you individually to decide what to do with the remaining three lights. It is my hope we will all put them to good use, and that we will light these candles with a shamus guided by a strong hand and a warm heart.

Continuing on the subject of Chanukah, I am grateful to everyone who has used our links when doing their holiday shopping at amazon.com. Remember, you can find links to amazon.com on the home page of the Glossary of Yiddish Words and Expressions and the Gantseh Megillah. By clicking on these entry boxes when you wish to shop at amazon.com, every purchase you make will result in a 5% commission for me.

These funds are used to help finance the creation and maintenance of the Yiddishkeit projects.

Of course you may also make a voluntary Chanukah gelt contribution to Yiddishkeit by clicking on the Amazon Honor System Box or the Tzedakeh Box on those same pages. I gratefully accept all contributions regardless of amount, and every little bit helps defray the cost of these projects.

I hope all of you will do you best to make this a joyous Chanukah for yourself and your loved ones. While we must not forget the terrible events that have occurred over this past year or the fact that war is being waged because of them, it is most important to allow ourselves a sense of happiness as well. Let us enjoy and savor the moments we can spend with those people who are closest to us. Let us celebrate the miracle of Chanukah in a manner that lights the way to a road of peace and love in the world.

Happy Chanukah! Enjoy the Megillah!
Much love to all of you,
Michael
Editor