Lab/Shul Family and Friends,

Hanukkah begins tonight, unlike any that we can remember.

To help us lift up light mid-war I want to invite you to a new initiative Let There Be More Light, and share a few meaningful Hanukkah gifts, from our hearts to yours.

Two months ago – to the day –  the horrors of October 7th erupted, sowing horrific seeds of sorrow and continued conflict and catastrophe for millions.

It’s difficult to spark up joy in celebration of past miracles and military triumphs, as despair for the mounting loss of lives, enduring suffering, increasing hate, deepening conflict and critical conversations now grip our hearts.

Yet here we are, entrusted with the noble and unique responsibility to rededicate ourselves this Hanukkah, each in our own ways, to our people’s purpose, heritage and pride, and to all people’s right to life and liberty.  It’s on us to take on our personal and public part in being pro-human, pre-peace, pro-light.

Way before the Star of David became a Jewish symbol, the Menorah was carved deep in our people’s hearts, the oldest Jewish symbol, a sacred tool for agency and persistence, linking earth and heaven with the light that we can lift up when the world demands of us that we defeat despair.

Let’s activate our oldest strategy for dismantling despair
and raising up our spirits. 

Tonight, I invite you to light not just a single menorah but MORE. Our new initiative in partnership with The Hostages and Families Forum NYC –   Let There Be More Light – invites you to add light in your home in solidarity with the hostages in Gaza, and to add even more light to remember every slain soul and victim of violence of these past painful weeks. 

Please add more light, share with others and spread the message that will hopefully bring comfort and consolation to our loved ones, everywhere.

Read more about this initiative and other ways to lift up light this season in this morning’s New York Times’s article by my friend Mireille Silcoff –  “This Hanukkah, Light the Candles”.

To help you lift up the light we have some digital gifts, for you to print or use at home and with family and friends:

(1) Our newly redesigned Hanukkah Candle-Lighting Blessings, for print or screen, with Everybody-Friendly, God-Optional language for all your lighting needs.

(2) We also encourage you to add a blessing to your candles with this beautifully designed Mothers Prayer for Peace in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Print, and please recite as you prepare to lift up light for the world.

And finally – Remember Everpresence? Our theme for the year reminds us that we are in the presence of the infinite, come what may, night and day, and it’s on us to find each other’s wellbeing, face to face, heart to heart at ordinary and extraordinary times. Please PRINT this gift to decorate your home for Hanukkah, with our love and hopes for light, healing, hope and everpresence.

If you feel inspired and moved by these gifts, we appreciate your Hanukkah gift as well. Please consider a generous holiday year-end to Lab/Shul – all lights help us all shine brighter. 

Starting tonight, at 7pm ET, we invite you to light up each night with us, for 20 minutes of intention and rededication to defeating despair and lifting up our faith in life and love. Register now.

Check out the details for each night HERE and please join us to increase the light. Bring your own menorah — plus another one, and a soul candle or as many as you want.

Our ancestors have endured many challenges and this one is on us – together, we will raise up sparks of hope and resilience, healing and kindness, solidarity and support, committed to a better, kinder world for all.

Spark Wonder Now. 
Light up Peace. 
Repeat X8. 

Let there be MORE light,
Rabbi Amichai & the Lab/Shul Team
Co-Founder, Senior Clergy and Spiritual Leader

PS. Join me on December 17th online to keep lighting candles of hope and repair was past Hanukkah and into the sacred winter season – as we join the Sulha Peace Project Circle Gathering of Israelis and Palestinians seeking solutions and co-creating peace. Scroll down for details