Dear Lab/Shul Family & Friends,

How were these eight nights of Hanukkah different from all other Hanukkahs past?

Mid-war we insisted on dismantling despair, flame by flame, raising high our ancient torch of faith in kinder days of healing, with intentions for the cessation of violence, and a long term solution to this devastating conflict.

I’m grateful that so many of you joined us, in person and online, to raise up sparks that celebrate jewish survival and human hope.

Check out some of the highlights from Hanukkah HERE and videos and photos from our wonderful winter retreat this past weekend and eight nights of virtual lighting HERE.

To wrap up this unique and complicated Hanukkah, I got to talk with my friend Ari Shapiro of NPR’s Consider This  about the meaning of this year’s holiday and some life lessons we can take from it to help us make it through whatever comes next. 

I invite you to listen to our brief conversation. 

I also want to invite you to extend Hanukkah by one more night – the Ninth Night!

Tonight we celebrate Shabbat, and some consider this to be the Ninth Night of Hanukkah.

OK –  it’s not really an old or known tradition —  but why not make it so this year – and  build up on the energy of these past eight nights and keep adding light to a world that needs it so badly?

On this night we can honor the Shamash – the caretaking candle that is used to light up all the others.

Who is the Shamash in your life? Who is worthy of  honoring and thanking tonight for tirelessly adding light to the world when it’s so much easier to give up?  As we head into Shabbat,  ahead of the longest night of the year and the rest of this holiday season – keep the lights going strong. Light more candles and spread the light.

I honor and thank the incredible Lab/Shul team, and all our communal leaders and volunteers, for being the Shamash for so many in our community these past eight nights.

And I honor the tireless peacemakers who refuse to give up on co-existence, life and dignity for all, in Israel and Palestine, and everywhere.

Those include the incredibly inspiring leaders of Standing Together, who invite us for a special webinar this coming Sunday:

“After over two months of war, death, and destruction, where do we go from here? 

Join us on Sunday December 17th (1pm EST / 8pm Jerusalem) for a webinar, where you’ll meet members of Standing Together to hear about the work we’re doing on the ground to build an alternative of peace, equality and justice from within Israeli society.

Our future depends on what kind of political partnership we can lead as Palestinians and Jews in Israel, and we are building one that is based on solidarity, equality, mutual recognition and justice. Our role moving forward is to strengthen and expand this partnership and model for a future society from the ground up, through developing new leadership across the country, organizing and mobilizing Palestinians and Jews around these ideas, and expanding our support base within Israeli society.”

Please REGISTER HERE FOR this webinar. 

This webinar, that I’ll be attending, is one of several special programs and events, in person and online,  that we plan to join or co-create the months ahead, including facilitated conversations and opportunities for hearing each others’ opinions and pains, hopes and intentions, with respect to all voices, as this community works together to offer support to each of us and be part of long-term solutions for coexistence and peace – for all.

Please note that the virtual Sulha Peace Circle organized by The Sulha Peace Project for this coming Sunday has been postponed until January — we’ll share the new date soon.

Please be Lab/Shul’s Shamash on this ninth night.

Please support Lab/Shul at this time of year. We have increased our staff to enable more programs, communications and social media during this critical time and will continue to do so. Your help in helping us promote a more nuanced and hopeful narrative that honors all sides is deeply appreciated.

We are grateful to all your generous gifts and donations and hope you can continue supporting us as 2023 begins its descent, and in 2024, coming soon. *NEW this year*, each gift will have 2x the impact thanks to a matching opportunity from a generous donor. Double the impact… Double the light! 

As you light your shabbat lights and soul candle tonight — remember the Mothers’ Prayer for Peace linked here for you to print or read on screen.

May every prayer and  flame help us heal, bring more solace to our souls and to each other’s lives.