Fall ‘25/Winter ‘26
Being the Light in Dark Times
Hannah Arendt reminds us that “dark times” aren’t a modern invention. Every generation faces moments when uncertainty or anxiety threatens to cloud our vision. Yet she teaches that we can still expect light — not necessarily the blinding glare of fame or fortune, but the steady glow of ordinary people acting with courage, honesty, and compassion. Even a small flame can help others see their way forward.
The Sefat Emet brings this idea straight into Hanukkah. He teaches that the miracle of the oil — where a small amount burned for eight days — never really ended. Its light still shines across the generations. The Hanukkah candles remind us that hidden light lives within each of us — far more. than we often realize — even when we feel depleted or uncertain.
Rabbi Arthur Green expands this further: the candles are not just symbols. Each mitzvah — lighting a candle, offering kindness, studying a text — is a small flame that awakens awareness. Every sacred act draws us inward and helps us uncover the divine spark at our core. The candles push us to grow into the people we’re still becoming.
Hanukkah also invites us to think about chinukh — education and dedication — which share the same Hebrew root as Chanukah. Education in Judaism is more than knowledge; it’s passion, commitment, and a willingness to return to our deepest values. Hanukkah is not only about rededicating the Temple — it’s about rededicating ourselves. It asks us to embrace lifelong learning, to examine our core principles, and to live out the ideals that shape our identities. Education leads to dedication, and dedication inspires light.
This resonates deeply with my own journey. During rabbinical school (six years of intense study), I learned more subjects than I can list. But the most transformative education was the internal one: learning who I am as a Jew, a teacher, a husband (always bring home flowers), a father (still figuring this one out), a homeowner (may nothing expensive break), and a leader in my community — the hardest role of all. These experiences continue to teach me how to become a little brighter each day. They were, in many ways, “the other side of the coin” I didn’t know I was missing.
Arriving at Temple Beth El gave me not just a pulpit, but a community that allowed me to be myself. My education has continued here — through authentic relationships, moments of sadness and gladness, and the sacred privilege of growing alongside you. In just over three years, you’ve journeyed with me through some of life’s greatest milestones: our marriage (year one); our first home, saying goodbye to Charlie and welcoming Millie (year two); and the birth of our daughter, Reese — Tirza Ruth (year three). Each moment has been its own form of Jewish learning, teaching me humility, joy, resilience, and responsibility.
As we celebrate Hanukkah, we’re called to share whatever light we have — no matter how small. You’ve watched me grow, and you’ll have a front-row seat to the chapters ahead. What will the new year bring? This season, I encourage each of us to engage in learning — about our tradition, our values, and our own emerging selves. Education inspires dedication, and dedication creates light. May we not only carry that light, but create it — for one another, for our community, and for the world ahead.
Chanukah Sameach,
Rabbi Aaron (with Love from Wendi, Reese, and Millie)