It’s that season—where our ritual bumps up against the mainstream one. Where our non-Jewish friends, in the spirit of connection, ask about Chanukah. I often get asked whether we give gifts. Do you give gifts each night or in one fell swoop (sometimes this from other Jewish parents trying to figure out the best way to do this)? It’s the time of year when Jewish parents and grandparents are invited into classrooms that boast maybe 1 or 2 Jewish kids—our kids—to share our practices.
This year, before going into the classroom, I asked my kids what they hoped I would share with these children who know very little about what Judaism is. Our younger offered, “Chanukah is fun!” and our older, “That being Jewish these days is more about being a member of a community than it is about worshiping G-d.” As with so much of what they share, their messages speak volumes about how they are developing their Jewish identities here in Central Oregon.
Our youngest often talks about how different she feels at this time of year. Her “Chanukah is fun!” is a defense of what our family does at this time of year as compared to her school friends’ families. I am thankful when Chanukah lands close to Christmas because the rhythms of excitement and anticipation and celebration overlap. Which is different than those years when our celebrations are nearly complete at the beginning of December. This year, she gets to answer the question, “What did you get for Chanukah?” at the same time of year her friends get to answer their question.
Perhaps more striking though and illuminating is our eldest’s response. While my gut feels a bit…unsettled at her lack of connection to G-d, I am aware that she is learning the importance of community. To truly be in community one does need to connect with and behave from values that are consistent with our Torah teachings. By finding a way to be kind, to be patient, to be present, to share, to make space for others is what is asked of us. In this way, we are in community, connected to one another.
Temple Beth Tikvah is about Finding Your Connection—it’s our tagline! I hear echoes of my eldest’s message throughout our Central Oregon Jewry. There is a wish to be in connection with other Jewish people. How do we do that at TBT? We do that with a robust event calendar focused on ensuring the moments of connection each of us find valuable. Each month we offer at least one Erev Shabbat service. We have a reinvigorated adult education offering with Rabbi Sara at the helm. Our widely enjoyed Havdalah line-up allows each of us opportunities to connect with one another while watching/discussing a film, hearing from an expert in their field, enjoying dessert with one another, or hearing from and supporting a local organization. We eat together, we play together, we repair the world together.
This month, we are looking forward to two Erev Shabbat services led by Rabbi Sara with musical accompaniment from our musicians. We hope to see many of you at our Chanukah party at 5 pm on Saturday, December 28th. See the invitation and announcements for more details or email us at events@bethtikvahbend.org. All our upcoming events can be found on our calendar.
Chag Chanukah Sameach!
Shalom,
Cere