Dear Friends,
Winter carries a psychological weight. As daylight shrinks and evenings stretch into darkness, many of us feel our mood dip with the season. Long before modern psychology named seasonal affective disorder, our ancestors recognized this fear of the expanding night. One rabbinic teaching tells us that Adam, created in the fall, panicked as each day grew darker, fearing the world was slipping into endless night. Only when the days lengthened again did he regain hope and mark the return of light.
This story captures something deeply human. Millions today still experience the “winter blues,” and for some, it becomes a true depressive episode that lifts only when spring’s light returns. Alongside this, loneliness has become a modern public-health crisis. As the U.S. Surgeon General notes, social connection is essential to our health, yet about half of U.S. adults report feeling lonely.
This is where the holidays, especially Hanukkah, offer something profound. Hanukkah begins in the darkest part of the year. Its ritual, kindling one more candle each night, is a deliberate act of hope, a small daily insistence that darkness will not grow forever. In this way, Hanukkah becomes an ancient antidepressant: structured light, rhythmic connection, and a reminder that human beings have always answered gloom with illumination.
This year, our JCC is naming joy as our central Hanukkah theme, not surface-level cheer but a resilient, intentional joy. The joy of choosing connection in a lonely world, the joy of seeking light when days are dim, the joy of remembering that even a small flame can shift the emotional landscape. May the lights of Hanukkah bring warmth, reflection, and the courage to kindle joy. Make sure to join us for candle lighting at the JCC each night, see below for timing!
As we continue celebrating light and joy, we hope you’ll join us for L’chaim: A Toast to Another Incredible Year at the J next Thursday, December 18. We’ll gather from 7–9 pm, with a cocktail hour beginning at 6 pm, to reflect on the year, recognize our community, and enjoy good food, good company, and a meaningful moment together. This free event requires advance registration, RSVP below.
Wishing you and your loved ones joy and happiness this Hanukkah!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Moriah SimonHazani
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