HAKOL Chanukah 5781

Kislev - Shevat 5781 December 2020 - February 2021

Solihull & District Hebrew Congregation www.solihullshul.org Tel:0121 706 8736 [email protected] registered charity no. 1100938 Dear Friends,

Potato latkas. . Judah the Maccabee. Judith the Heroine. The Chanukah Menorah. Blue cardboard boxes of all different colored candles. (As a kid did you try to create an interesting pattern each night?) Chocolate Chanukah coins. The song, Maoz Tzur. “I had a little ...” Clay Menorahs made in Hebrew school. Chanukah is made of memories and for memories. Taste the latkas and jam doughnuts. See the candles burn brightly in the Menorah. Hear the singing of the blessings over the Menorah. Touch the letters engraved on the dreidel: nun, gimmel, hay, shin - “A Great Miracle Happened There.” Chanukah is a special time for family, friends and children. Chanukah is a Jewish holiday celebrating the victory of the weak (militarily) over the mighty, the few (in number) over the many. Chanukah is a celebration of the re-dedication of the Holy Temple after it had been defiled - but not destroyed - by the Greeks. For the Greeks did not wish to destroy the Holy Temple nor the Torah; they wished only to defile the mitzvot (commandments). The Greeks attempted to lessen their holiness, their uniqueness, their impact on our Jewish lives. “We too, have wisdom,” they declared. “We, too, have gods. We, too, have holidays. Know that your Temple is like our temples. The wisdom of your Divine Torah is like our man-made wisdom. There is nothing particularly holy about them.” So what do you say to a child who wants a “Chanukah bush,” or who wants a photograph with Santa? What do you do about the pressure of giving Chanukah presents instead of the Jewish custom of giving Chanukah gelt (money). The easiest response might be: “They have their holiday and we have ours - Chanukah.” That response might be on the verge of being P.C., but it’s certainly not C. P.- Chanukah Perfect. You see, as soon as we start comparing Chanukah with the 25th of December, or when we try to turn Chanukah into the Jewish equivalent of that day, it is as if we are handing over a victory to the “Greeks.” Celebrate Chanukah in the true spirit of the holiday - not as a consolation or a competition - but as an opportunity to prove in our own lives that the ancient battle and victory over the Greeks was not in vain. Explore the themes of Chanukah, including the idea of dedication (the actual meaning of the Hebrew word Chanuka) and Jewish education (or “chinuch” in Hebrew, from the same word as Chanukah). Light the Chanukah Menorah each night of Chanukah and watch Jewish pride grow as the numbers and strength of the Chanukah lights increase. Let the lights of the Chanukah Menorah - and all of the beautiful and unforgettable Chanukah traditions, customs, mitzvot and memories - add their pure, holy light to the world. CONTENTS A tribute to Rabbi Lord Sacks 3 Rabbi Yehuda Pink Lighting 5 Virtual Chanukah Celebration 6 Menorah in a nutshell Chanukah Lighting Guide 8 Art with Lee 10 Why: The menorah lighting was instituted as a publicity strategy: advertising to How Can we Help You? 11 Mezuzah Sale 12 the entire world that G‑d makes miracles for those who stand up for truth and Community News 13 justice. 12 Tips for Amazing Chanukah 19 When: The chased away the forces of darkness with swords; we do it 13 Key Chanukah Facts 23 The Chanukah Story 26 with candles. That’s why we light the menorah shortly after sunset. Two exceptions: The Gulag Menorah 29 On Friday evening, light the candles before sunset. On Saturday evening, light That’s Mine! 31 them after dark. and Greeks 35 Chanukah Recipes 36 Where: Wherever you happen to be living at the time. Set up the menorah in a The Thursday Club 37 central doorway, near the doorpost opposite the mezuzah. Others have the custom Dates in Jewish History 38 of placing it on a windowsill facing the street. Wills & Legacies 41 Shabbos Times 43 Who: Every Jewish person—men, women and children. In many homes, the head Jewish Humour 44 of the household lights one menorah for everyone. In others, everyone lights their Ask the Rabbi 45 own. Some and let the kids light the rest. Wish List 46 Solihull Academy of Jewish Learning 48 The Menorah: The Chanukah miracle involved olive oil, so that’s the fuel of Adverts 57 choice. But you can use any candle that will burn until one-half hour after nightfall. Electric Menorahs are good for decoration, but you need the old-fashioned one to fulfill the Mitzvah. A tribute to Emeritus Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks by Rabbi Yehuda Pink

The death of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks of blessed I came to 770, and eventually the moment came when memory is a devastating blow to society. He was one of I was ushered into the Rebbe’s study. I asked him all my the most eloquent and influential ambassadors of G-d to intellectual, philosophical questions; he gave intellectual, the world in the past couple of decades. philosophical answers, and then he did what no one else had done. My first encounter with him was in 1993. At the time every communal Rabbi had to receive the Chief Rabbi's He did a role reversal, he started asking me questions. How Certificate to Practice in order to be appointed to a many Jewish students are in Cambridge? How many get pulpit in the UK. So off I went to Woburn House for involved in Jewish life? What are you doing to bring other my interview. people in?

As the youngest communal Rabbi in the UK at the time Now, I hadn’t come to become a Shliach [-Lubavitch I was extremely nervous. I was ushered into his office emissary]. I’d come to ask a few simple questions, and all of by the formidable Syma Weinberg, the Chief Executive a sudden he was challenging me. So I did the English thing. of the Office of the Chief Rabbi. Leaning back in his You know, the English can construct sentences like nobody chair puffing on his pipe he immediately put me at ease else, you know? They can construct more complex excuses for by asking me to convey his best wishes to my father doing nothing, than anyone else on earth. (laughter) who he told me he knew well not just from his work in education but also from his Cambridge days when my So I started the sentence, "In the situation in which I find father would accompany Rabbi Shmuel Lew and Rabbi myself..." – and the Rebbe did something which I think Faivish Vogel to conduct Torah study groups for the was quite unusual for him, he actually stopped me in mid- Jewish students. He then went on to give me some sage sentence. He says, "Nobody finds themselves in a situation; advice which has stood me in good stead over the years. you put yourself in a situation. And if you put yourself in that situation, you can put yourself in another situation." The Chief Rabbi visited Solihull on a number of occasions, on one memorable occasion when our late That moment changed my life. President Sydney Fisher was too ill to attend the service at the Shul, Rabbi Sacks made a special detour to his Here I was, a nobody from nowhere, and here was one of the flat to wish him well and personally present him with greatest leaders in the Jewish world challenging me not to a plaque honouring him for decades of service to the accept the situation, but to change it. And that was when I community. realized what I have said many times since: That the world was wrong. When they thought that the most important fact On a number of occasions Rabbi Sacks shared the about the Rebbe was that here was a man with thousands of moment that changed his life. I quote below from a followers, they missed the most important fact: That a good speech he gave in November 2011. leader creates followers, but a great leader creates leaders.

Page 3 That's what the Rebbe did for me and for thousands of others.

What better tribute can we pay to Rabbi Sacks than attempting to incorporate this lesson into our own lives. Everyone of us can strive to become a leader, whether of our own sphere of influence or even simply of ourselves, striving to always move forward and turn each situation into a positive one. We extend our sincere condolences to his wife Lady Elaine and children Josh, Dina and Gila.

The programme will be livestreamed on https://rabbisacks.org/shloshim/

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Page 7 How to Shamash Thursday 10th December Celebrate Blessings 1, 2 & 3 Friday 11th December Chanukah Blessings 1, 2 Before 3.30 pm Light the Menorah each night of Chanukah. All members of the family should be present Saturday 12th December at the kindling of the lights. Family members Blessings 1 & 2 who are sleeping away from home should light After 4.45 pm the Menorah at the place they are staying for the night. If you are unable to the light the Menorah, Sunday 13th December Blessings 1 & 2 for example you are travelling by plane. Ask a member of your household or a friend to have you in mind when they light the menorah. Monday 14th December Use olive oil or candles, large enough to burn Blessings 1 & 2 for at least half an hour. Use a ‘Shamash’ (extra candle) to kindle the Tuesday 15th December lights. Blessings 1 & 2 The lights are kindled from left to right. Before lighting recite the blessings. Wednesday 16th December It is best to light the Menorah near a window. Blessings 1 & 2 The Menorah may be lit any time after 4.00 pm except for Friday and Saturday ( See Chart). Thursday 17th December On Friday Night the Menorah is lit before the Blessings 1 & 2 Shabbos candles. More oil or longer candles should be used on Friday since the Menorah is lit before nightfall. After Shabbos the Menorah is lit after Havdalah Blessing 1 v7FUb6j k9Q r9b eh4k0s6v0k Ub7u4m0u uh7,Im4n0C Ub7q0s4e r9a6t o7kIg7v L9k9n Ubh5v-k-9t hh v7<6t LUr7C Boruch Atoh Ado- noy Elo -einu Melech Ho - Olam Asher Ki -Desho nu Be-Mitzvosov Vetzivonu Lehadlik Ner Shel Chanukoh

Blessing 2 v9z6v i6n0z4C o5v6v oh4n7h6C Ubh5,-c6t6k oh4xh4b v7a7g9w o7kIg7v L9k9n Ubh5v-k-9t hh v7<6t LUr7C Boruch Atoh Ado- noy Elo -einu Melech Ho - Olam Sheosoh Nisim La-avosinu Bayomim Hahem Bizman Hazeh

Blessing 3 v9z6v i6n0z4k Ub7gh4d4v0u Ub7n0h4eu Ub7h9j9v9w o7kIg7v L9k9n Ubh5v-k- 9t hh v7<6t LUr7C Boruch Atoh Ado- noy Elo -einu Melech Ho - Olam Shecheyonu Vekiymonu Vehigiyonu Lizman Hazeh

Page 8 To the 444 donors who helped us raise a fantastic £52,121 to enable us to continue and expand our work supporting senior citizens during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Page 9 Art Class with Lee Benson On Zoom Thursday 5.00 pm

Contact Rabbi Pink for login details

Page 10 How can we help you?

Have you been affected by Covid 19? • Are you or anyone you know is isolated and would like someone to talk to over the phone or factime? • • Do you need help with shopping or collecting medication? • • Are you or anyone you know feeling lonely and missing human contact - would you like a volunteer to visit your house and safely speak to you following all government guidelines or even just knock on your window and wave? • • Would you like a freshly cooked, nutritious three course meal? • • Are you struggling financially and need emergency financial help or interest free loan? • • Would you like to paricipate in any of our communal activities that are taking place on Zoom, prayer services, lectures and social activities? • • Are you healthy and would like to volunteer to help with any of our activities? •

If the answer to any of these questions is yes then please contact Rabbi Pink 0121 706 8736 07973 955 232 [email protected]

Page 11 A Mezuzah isn’t Just For Chanukah!!

Do you have a kosher mezuzah on every door of your house?

Free Mezuzah Checking and 20% Discount on all purchases of 3 or more mezuzos until 1st January 2021

For more details contact Rabbi Pink

[email protected] 07973 955 232

Page 12 Solihull Roundup by Shirley Epstein FOLKS, ONE HUNDRED! meals to whoever wanted a Yom Tom meal. In fact, some people had two meals Every year, as we approach the High because of the two-day festival and with the help of a Holy Days, our thoughts must willing band of volunteers to deliver, these were duly inevitably turn to Rosh Hashanah, delivered together with a special box of goodies such as the beginning of a new year, Dinie’s world-famous honey cake (!), a small jar of honey, wondering what it will bring for an apple, etc. etc. and very pleased all the recipients were each of us, hopefully good health, to receive all of them! In addition another 100 Rosh a feeling of security financially and Hashona Kits were distributed containing a honey happy family life. Unfortunately, cake, apple and honey, calendar and literature about this past year has been like no other the yomtovim to enable those who couldn’t attend shul one in our entire history with all get a taste of yomtov. The amount of work involved in that has been and still is going on the preparation and cooking undertaken by the Pink regarding the virus we know as family over Wednesday and Thursday, really cannot go Covid-19. Our social lives have by with comment as it really is a huge undertaking so kol had to be very restricted, we can’t ha kovod to them and I’m sure you will agree with me travel to and from the places we that they really deserve a round of applause (by Zoom would have liked and family life of course!). I know everyone thoroughly enjoyed their has really been ripped asunder but meals over Yom Tom thanks to all this stupendous effort. nevertheless we still try to go about our daily lives with a smile on our To go back to our Rosh Hashanah services, the chairs face! had been arranged with social distancing in mind all set up underneath 8 gazebos kindly loaned to us by Stephen I am and always have been a Goldstein and the Mad Hatters Charity. There was also confirmed optimist and can’t see distanced seating inside the shul facing outwards for any the purpose in not looking for the ladies that preferred to do so. There was a bimah of sorts, positive side of things, although I with a perspex surround to conform to safety regulations. must say that hasn’t been easy in The service was rather abridged and of course, the first recent months, to say the least. day being , there was no shofar blowing, which Nevertheless, we were certainly also lessened its length. We had the added pleasure of blessed with the opportunity of two chazanim, Zali Rodal and Daniel Littlestone, which holding our Rosh Hashanah services certainly added to the beauty of the service. in our beautiful grounds with G-D looking down favourably on us and After the service was concluded, trays of individually blessing us with lovely weather!

Before I go any further, I really must comment on the fantastic work done by our Rabbi Pink and Rebbetzen Dinie in preparing about 100 – YES,

Page 13 packaged bottles of wine and grape juice, together with as indoors if desired and so it proved. The forecast wasn’t separately packed portions of Dinie’s honey cake were too bad, the rain held off, even a little sunshine, although brought to the table and people were asked to approach rather windy but the shul had acquired some special the table one at a time to collect their wine and cake and patio heaters for external use, thanks to Rabbi Pink’s then return to their seat, which we all did. Everyone agreed efforts so no-one was cold at all. I heard that Rabbi Pink that it had been a very stimulating and uplifting service, was very lucky in that he managed to buy the very last which was repeated the following day, to everyone’s two such heaters available on Amazon! They certainly enjoyment, especially as we had the added pleasure of made a difference to our comfort. hearing the shofar being blown, which actually was not all that easy outdoors, as you can appreciate! Now for The service itself was a very curtailed one, with much Yom Kippur! having to be omitted but all the necessary essential ingredients were all there and we were able to enjoy this Before the actual festival of Yom Kippur, we had the rather strange Yom Kippur service for different reasons pleasure of watching on Zoom a special concert sponsored but I’m sure that if we are able to resume services in the by Chabad to enable us all to hear the magnificent voice future as we have been used to, we will certainly never of Dudu Fisher, star of and Broadway, especially forget this year’s Yom Kippur service! Following Neilah known for his role of Jean Valjean in the musical ”Les we were all able to enjoy individually packaged bottles of Miserables”, for which he has won many plaudits, one water, cake and coffee as we made our way home. of which was that he was the best ”Jean Valjean” ever! That’s certainly saying something, isn’t it, folks! Those As it became clear that most of us were reluctant to of us who were able to tune in enjoyed the beautiful and resume indoor services the need to put in place gazebos powerful voice of Dudu Fisher, who gave us a very varied that will be strong enough to survive the winter arose. programme not only of show tunes but chazanut as well, After much research Rabbi Pink was able to source the which was all very inspiring and uplifting, especially in appropriate setup which has now been installed together these difficult times. The programme finished with an with lighting and heating. It obviously is not as cosy as interview with Dudu linked directly to his home in being indoors but with some warm clothing it is perfectly and he answered many questions, especially reaffirming adequate for the shortened services and all this fresh air his deep connections to the Chabad movement. Thanks will certainly do us some good! to all who organized this special event!

A few days later, it was time for the special High Holy Day of Yom Kippur itself. Rabbi Pink had organized a pre-yomtov Kol Nidrei and Yizkor service by way of Zoom, which many people tuned in to and with the added bonus of our two chazanim, Chazans Zali Rodal and Daniel Littlestone it was a very meaningful service.

Rabbi Pink had waited until almost the last possible moment to ascertain whether or not the weather would be kind enough to enable us to have the Yom Kippur service in our lovely grounds, as well

Page 14 So on to Sukkos and despite the dismal weather of the first With the High Holydays over we began to plan for days of yomtov we were able to conduct the usual services, outdoor Shabbat services during the long cold winter shake the lulav and esrog and even enjoy the opportunity months. External power supplies were installed and to make kiddush in the Shul Sukkah. During Chol patio heaters put in place to ensure that we would be Hamoed the mobile sukkah driven by Rabbi Cheruff of warm and comfortable and then bam! Lockdown 2 was Chabad on Campus and Rabbi Pink was busy making announced and all Shul services was shut down. As they the rounds of Birmingham and Solihull offering people say Men plan and G-d laughs ( it sounds much better a COVID secure opportunity to make a brocha in the in the original “A mentch tracht un G-tt lacht”) Sukkah and to shake the lulav. Fortunately as a registered charity we were able to During the intermediate days of Sukkot we enjoyed continue our support for the vulnerable elderly. In fact another joint programme with Chabad. This time a as a result of the lockdown demand for our meals has conversation with Holywood Script Writer David Weiss, increased by 25%. Our kitchen which is well equipped it was entertaining and thought provoking at the same to turn out small quantities of meals was struggling time. to cope and Rabbi Pink decided that it was time to upgrade the oven to a full size combi oven. All well After the wonderful weather over the High Holy Days I and good until he saw the price! Not one to be put off joked that Rabbi Pink has a hotline to heaven and we all by a challenge Rabbi Pink decided to launch a crowd had a good laugh on Shemini Atzeret when just as the funding campaign. With the help of Zoom he was able Rabbi was reciting the prayer for rain the heavens opened to put together a small steering group comprising of Jon and it poured down for five minutes! Gouldman, Chana Miriam Golub, Graham Stone and Rivka Pink to help plan the campaign. Entitled “Home Before we blinked it was time for Simchas Torah. Rabbi but Not Alone….It’s More Than Just a Meal” the aim Pink marked out a large area outdoors marked by cones was to allow the wonderful work being carried out to spaced 3m apart, every Sefer Torah was wrapped in expand and continue for another 12 months. disposable plastic sleeves that were replaced in between each person and thus our COVID Secure Hakofot took Within a short time Charity Extra had been chosen place under the vigilant eye of Rabbi Pink who made as the platform to host the campaign, backers secured sure that we all followed the regulations. With all the precautions that we needed to put in place it was decided not to appoint the Chatanim in the normal way this year. Instead the two older Pink boys Avrohom Yitzchok and Chanoch were bestowed the special honour.

Solihull Council has come with an idea called Community Champions where they have asked Community leaders to help spread awareness of responsible behavior to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Rabbi Pink was asked to join the team and has been participating in weekly briefings and sharing the information with the community. The initiative has come to the attention of the government who have liked the idea so much that they have asked Solihull Council to share it with other parts of the country.

Oscar Wilde said “the nicest feeling in the world is to do a good deed anonymously and have somebody find out.” Well although Rabbi & Rebbetzen Pink never seek accolades for their work they were well and truly found out receiving special thanks from John Crabtree OBE The Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands and The Mayor of Solihull. Rebbetzen Pink will be featured on a special display wall at Touchwood highlighting the work of volunteers during the pandemic.

Page 15 who would match every donation pound for pound and extremely proud to have exceeded my personal goal of publicity prepared. What they thought was an ambitious raising £800. I was astounded by people’s generosity and target of raising £30,000 in 36 hours was set and a date particularly touched by the donations of my non Jewish set for the launch of the campaign. A number of teams neighbours. were set up each with their personal target and all was ready to go. Reflecting on the success of the campaign Rabbi Pink thanked all the temas who worked so hard to raise the The big day arrived and the teams sprang into action, funds and of course the donors and said that this was yours truly amongst them phone lines were buzzing, a tremendous vote of confidence in the work of the emails, whataspps and text messages flying, facebook and dedicated team of volunteers who have been working other social media updated and within a few hours the since the pandemic started to ensure that no senior target had been reached and a bonus round launched. At citizen be left feeling alone and forgotten. the end of the 36 hours a staggering £52,121 had been raised from 444 donors in 15 different countries! I was Earlier in the month Rabbi Pink had accompanied Carl Spiegel to the Bullring Market to receive a cheque to support the work of the Thursday Club from the Bullring Open Market Traders Association. Dave Everett and Nigel Harris, Chairman and Treasurer of the Association were delighted to hear of the wonderful work being done to support the elderly during this difficult time and were happy to be associated with the project. The Bullring Open Market is a lifeline for many low income people living in the neighbourhoods near Birmingham City Centre. We were also delighted to receive another grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund supporting our work. The budget for the Thursday Club has increased by 900% this year so Rabbi Pink has been trying every possible way to increase funding and we are extremely grateful to all the individuals, businesses and charitable trusts that have responded so generously ensuring that our work can continue and even expand.

In normal times Malcolm and Annette Hyams represent the Solihull Jewish Community at the annual Civic Service by the Solihull War Memorial on Remembrance Day. Unfortunately this year the public event had to be

Page 16 cancelled. However Malcolm and Annnette delivered a wreath to the Royal British Legion to be placed by them at the foot of the monument, ensuring that those who gave their lives for the country will not be forgotten.

Last year Rabbi Pink wrote and article about his visit back to Buttenhausen in Germany where his great Grandfather was the last Rabbi of the town. A few months ago he was invited to return to participate in a ceremony when brass paving stones with a memorial inscription ) were going to be laid outside his house. As he was due to visit Germany to inspect a factory that had applied for kosher certification it seemed to be perfect timing. Unfortunately Germany began to experience a second wave shortly before the scheduled date and he had to cancel his visit. The Mayor of the village did send him a picture of the newly installed Stolpersteine which will serve as permanent reminder to all visitors of the Jewish history of the village and the evil of racism.

Virtual International Conference of Chabad Shluchim

At this time of year a picture of the worlds biggest Rabbinic Conference usually graces the pages of the Recorder. This year the entire event has moved online in probably the biggest Zooom event in the world. Rabbi Pink has been part of the international organising committee of the conference for the past 15 years with particular responsibility for organising seminars and workshops focussing on Jewish law and practical Rabbinics. This year the task was made particularly complicated by the fact that delegates would be spanning every time zone from New Zealand to Hawaii. After successfully negotiating those challenges Rabbi Pink was thrown a googly. The organisers wished to screen a documentary about the work of four Chabad Rabbis during Covid-19, the sting in the tale being that they needed it in 10 days time.

After a few frantic phone calls a producer was found who was willing to work round the clock to meet the deadline. A few weeks ago we partnered with Chabad of Belgravia Adrian Silas, a cousin of Sybil Prais was excited to take and the Jewish Chronicle in their People of Interest on the challenge. Schedules were drawn up and scripts series, since then we have been treated to a series of written and then the next spanner in the works. National fascinating talks from David Weiss, co-writer of Shrek2, Lockdown was announced as coming into effect right Bret Stephens, Political Commentator and journalist for in the middle of the planned filming. But as they say the NY Times and Rabbi Levi Shemtov, known as “the when the going gets tough, the tough get going and with Rabbi of the ”. We look forward to some minutes to spare before the lockdown began, the filming more fascinating speakers in the next few weeks. of the documentary featuring Rabbi Sholom Cohen of Chabad CTeens, Rabbi Yossi Cheruff of Chabad on

Page 17 Campus, Rabbi Odom Brandman of Buckhurst Hill and Rabbi Yehuda Pink of Solihull was finished. The theme of the film was – “When two Jews meet the end result should be a favour for a third” and how this was still being implemented during the Pandemic. It was shown to critical acclaim at the Conference.

Of course the youngsters weren’t forgotten and their annual get together was also moved online with every child registered receiving a box of goodies in the post as well.

Holocaust Memorial Day 2021 Theme vision summary

Be the light in the darkness

‘We will continue to do our bit for as long as we can, secure in the knowledge that others will continue to light a candle long after us.’ WednesdayGena Turgel 27th MBE, survivor January of (1923-2018)

The theme for Holocaust Memorial DayVIA (HMD) ZOOM 2021 is Be the light in the darkness. It encourages everyone to reflect on the depths humanity can sink to, but also the ways individuals and communities resisted that darkness to ‘be the light’ before, during and after genocide.Further details wil be circulated closer to the time Be the light in the darkness is an affirmation and a call to action for everyone marking HMD. This theme asks us to consider different kinds of ‘darkness’, for example, identity- based persecution, misinformation, denial of justice; and different ways of ‘being the light’, for example, resistance, acts of solidarity, rescue and illuminating mistruths. Increasing levels of denial, division and misinformation in today’s world mean we must remain vigilant against hatred and identity-based hostility. Rapid technological developments, a turbulent political climate, and world events beyond our control can leave us feeling helpless and insignificant. The utterly unprecedented times through which we are living currently are showing the very best of which humanity is capable but also - in some of the abuse and conspiracy theories being spread on social media - the much darker side of our world as well. We can all stand in solidarity. We can choose to be the light in the darkness in a variety of ways and places – at home, in public, and online.

1 - Darkness draws in Page 18

a) The darkness of distortion and hate b) Emotional darkness Before every genocide, perpetrators divide society into those considered worthy of human treatment, and those who are not. Distortions are deployed using propaganda and stereotyping to identify and victimise a specific group (or groups), followed by discrimination – often enshrined into law. The darkness leading to genocide also causes deep emotional trauma. For those affected, fear, hopelessness and dread all have a profound and long-lasting impact.

Page 1 of 2 12 Tips for an Amazing Chanukah at Home By Menachem Posner

Chanukah, the festival of lights, traditionally celebrated In the words of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak, the sixth Chabad in the cozy company of dear family and close friends. rebbe, “We must listen to what the flames tell us,” and Chanukah, when we gather ‘round the menorah and think deeply into the story of Chanukah, the sacrifices share stories of strength and survival. Chanukah, when our ancestors made to preserve , and the miracles we celebrate the miraculous victory of the few over the G‑d performed—and still performs—for us. many, the G‑dly over the profane, and the weak over the mighty. With the extra time our seclusion has afforded us, let’s focus on these messages and how they apply to us today. For many, this Chanukah will be like no other, celebrated in isolation, either alone or only with close family Read: Essays for You to Contemplate members. Yet Chanukah is a time of miracles, when we remind ourselves and the world that G‑d is present in our lives, that miracles happen, and that anything is possible. 3. Fry Up Some Delicious

Ready to make this Chanukah the most memorable, There is a centuries-old custom of frying (and eating!) festive, and spiritually uplifting ever? Read on to discover foods such as doughnuts or latkes, pancakes of cheese our top tips for an amazing Chanukah at home. or potato. They remind us of the miracle of Chanukah, in which a small quantity of oil, enough for just 24 1. Light the Menorah Each Night hours, lasted for a full eight days. Not used to cooking in small quantities? No problem. Make extra, pack up Even if you will be the only one to witness it, it’s a the surplus, and drop off your greasy goodies on the mitzvah to light the menorah every night of Chanukah. doorsteps of fellow quarantiners. If you have a hard time getting out, be sure to order candles (or oil and wicks) in advance, so that you can Read: 17 Recipes to Make this Chanukah bring the light of Chanukah into your home, chasing away any gloominess you may be feeling. But beyond fuzzy feelings, the menorah is an actual mitzvah, which 4. Invite Friends to Zoom Parties must be performed in a specific manner (the time and place matter, as does the fact that you need to use real Aside from Shabbat, the rest of Chanukah we are free flames, not electricity). to enjoy the gift of wireless technology. So be sure to schedule some virtual zoom celebrations with loved ones Read: How to Light the Menorah and friends. Book your calendar in advance, and see if you can spread out the joy over the course of the 8-day holiday. 2. Stop and Think! Pro tip #1: Add a tangible element to your shared That’s right, we are sometimes so busy running to celebration by having some Chanukah goodies delivered Chanukah parties or preparing to host and bring to your “guests.” Chanukah joy to others, that we barely find time to contemplate the candles and the message they impart. Pro tip #2: If everyone has a dreidel at home, you can Page 19 play a long distance game, with someone keeping tally 8. Make a Chanukah Craft on the whiteboard. The isolation of the last nine months has given birth to a Pro tip #3: Read a Chanukah story aloud, to add some burst of creativity, as people learned to paint, bake, craft, inspiration 1000to the socialization. Boys join and draw their worries away. Even before the holiday begins, get into the spirit by creating unique Chanakah their fathers at art to decorate your home. Paintings, dreidels, and even 5. Join (or Organize) a Car-Top Menorah Parade menorahs can all be made at home. International Rabbi’s A beautiful new iteration of the age-old imperative to Watch: How to Make a Little Dreidel out of Clay spread the ChanukahConference message to the masses is the car- top menorah parade, where people with menorahs Print: Chanukah Coloring Sheets attached to their cars drive around, spreading awareness, good cheer, and hope. 9. Give Extra Charity

Since you can do this from the safety of your closed car, Did you ever notice that two major Chanukah customs, this is the ultimate socially distanced Jewish ritual. Call giving gelt and playing dreidel, both mean that our kids your local Chabad to join their parade. If there isn’t one, receive some extra cash? There’s a good reason for this. go online, order a menorah, create an online event for The infusion of funds allows our children (and us) to people to sign up, and start your own. give extra charity (tzedakah) to those in need. During the events of Chanukah, the Greeks confiscated money Read: History of the Car-Top Menorah from charity funds, and we celebrate by giving even more than usual, an act that refines the soul, symbolized by the light-giving menorah. 6. Make Shabbat Chanukah Special Give extra charity each day of Chanukah, depositing the Celebrated for eight days, every Chanukah contains share for Shabbat on Friday afternoon. (at least one) Shabbat. Although we do not kindle the menorah on Shabbat (taking care to light it on Friday If you have a physical pushke (charity box) at home, put afternoon before kindling Shabbat candles, and then the coins or bills there. If not, you can donate online to again on Saturday night after the holy day has ended), the deserving destination of your choice. Shabbat Chanukah is a special time. Make this Shabbat more festive by adding something special to your menu, Read: 15 Facts About Tzedakah Every Jew Should Know printing up extra Torah thoughts to read during the long, quiet evening, and singing Hallel (Psalms of praise we say every morning of Chanukah) aloud with extra 10. Tell (or Read) Heartwarming Stories fervor and joy. Chanukah is the season of miracles—the ideal time to Read: The Beauty of Shabbat Chanukah read inspiring stories of Chanukahs past and of G‑d’s miraculous presence in our lives, “in those days [and] in this time.” If you are with someone else, take turns 7. Learn Extra Torah reading stories to each other. If you are alone, read them to yourself or call a friend to join you. On Chanukah we celebrate our victory over the Syrian Greek interlopers, who wished to squelch the study of Read: Dozens of Chanukah Stories “G‑d’s Torah,” although they were more than fine with those who wished to read the Jewish texts in the name of intellectualWould curiosity you like or research. to sponsor Got some extraa Kiddush. time 11. PricesPlay Chanukah start Musicfrom as low as £30. on your hands? Log onto Chabad.org (OK, you are here already), pull a ToJewish book book aoff kiddush the shelf, callcontact a study- JudithThe Code on of07779 Jewish Law 094 tells 420us that or it is appropriate to buddy, and learn the very Torah [email protected] the Greeks wanted make our meals on Chanukah a bit more lavish and to us to relegate to the dusty back of the library. use the time to praise G‑d for His kindness. One way to do this is to sing songs of praise. From the dreidel Listen: Some Great Chanukah Classes to Get You Going song to ‘,’ Chanukah music has a way of

Page 20 warming the heart and bringing light to the darkest of evenings.

Browse: Dozens of Chanukah Songs

12. Play Dreidel

With just a small plastic spinning top and a pile of coins, nuts, beans or the token of your choice, you can play a fun or competitive round of dreidel, the traditional Chanukah pastime.

If you are alone, you can play against the house. To do so, you need to modify the gimmel and hei to win you a smaller amount than normal, so that the game does not end immediately after you get your first gimmel. Feel free to fiddle with the amounts and have fun with this one. And if you are with others, invite everyone for a grand tournament.

Read: How to Play Dreidel

Would you like to perpetuate the memory of a loved one by dedicating a plaque on the Memorial Board? The plaque will be illuminated on the day of the yartzeit and a memorial prayer recited in Shul to mark the yartzeit.

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Page 22 Tractate Shabbat. In the context of discussing Shabbat 13 Chanukah candles, the Chanukah candles (and by extension, the Facts Every Jew Chanukah holiday) get their time in the Talmudic sun. 4. Before There Were Potatoes There Was ... Cheese! Should Know Today, there is a widespread custom to enjoy potato latkes on Chanukah, since the oil they are fried in reminds us www.chabad.org of the miracle of the flames on the Temple menorah 1. Eight Nights = Miracle Lights burning for eight days. But there is an older custom to eat cheese pancakes on Chanukah, which is reminiscent Why is Chanukah eight nights long? of the dairy (and intoxicating) meal that the brave The sages taught:On the 25th of Kislev, the days of Judith fed the Greek general before she decapitated him Chanukah are eight. One may not eulogize on them, and one may not fast on them. This is because when the Greeks entered the Sanctuary, they defiled all the oils that were in the Sanctuary. And when the Chashmonean monarchy overcame them and emerged victorious over them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil that remained with the seal of the High Priest. And there was sufficient oil there to light the candelabrum for only one day. A miracle occurred, and they lit the candelabrum from it for eight days. The next year, the sages instituted those days and made them holidays with the recitation of Hallel and prayers of in his sleep, saving her village. Apparently cheese latkes thanksgiving. morphed into potato latkes (potatoes were unknown in the Old World until the late 16th century), and a new But there’s more. Seven represents all that is found custom was born. within this world. There are seven days of the week, seven classical planets and seven musical notes. In fact, 5. You Light a Hillel Menorah the world itself was created in seven days.

Then there is the number eight, which represents that which is above, that which does not fit into the neat slots that hold the bits and pieces of our lives. The number eight evokes the transcendent and the G‑dly. Eight is the number of miracles.

2. Light After Dark

The Chanukah candles must burn after nightfalls, since their purpose is to bring light into darkness. But they need to be lit early enough that someone will see them. In the days of the Talmud, there were two major The lights need to be seen so they can serve their function academies of learning: Hillel and Shammai. The House of reminding others of the great miracle G‑d wrought. of Hillel taught that every night of Chanukah we add another candle—as we do today. The House of Shammai, 3. The Silent Holiday however, maintained that we begin with eight lights on the first night and light one less flame every night, Chanukah is the only Jewish holiday not mentioned ending Chanukah with a single flame.2 Tempted to try in the 24 books of the Bible. That’s because the canon the Shammai template? The time to do that is yet come. was sealed by the Men of the Great Assembly, who Tradition tells us that when Moshiach comes, we will flourished two centuries before the Chanukah miracle. follow the rulings of the House of Shammai. But until Nor does it have a tractate in the Talmud that discusses then, there is a beautiful lesson to be learned from the its observances. Instead, it gets a by-the-way mention in Hillel model. Add more light every night. Every little bit of lights add up to create something brilliant. Page 23 6. Syrians, Greeks, Hellenists or Yevanim?

We sometimes hear of Greeks, Syrians or even Hellenists in the Chanukah story. So who exactly were the interlopers who were expelled by the Maccabees? All of the above! After the death of Alexander the Great, his empire was broken up: the Seleucid Greek Empire was based in Syria, and the Ptolemaic Empire had its base in Alexandria, Egypt. The soldiers stationed in Judea belonged to the Syrian Greeks. unending power grabs and bloody intrigue, with king And who are the Hellenists and the Yevanim? The very after king trying to imitate the very same Greeks their same people: Hella is the Greek word for Greece, and ancestors had ousted from the land. Yavan is how we say it in Hebrew. 10. Chanukah in the USSR (Now, just to make things a bit more confusing, there were also the Hellenized Jews, or “Mityavnim” in For most of his life, Avraham Genin lit the menorah Hebrew, who sided with the Greeks/Yevanim/Hellenists/ in the privacy of his own home, or in the synagogue. Syrians/Seleucids and posed an even greater threat to the A former soldier in the Red Army, he lost his foot to survival of traditional Jewish life.) a German bomb. But that didn’t prevent him from walking to synagogue every week—an effort that took 7. Menorahs Everywhere him an hour and a half. A stalwart chassid who refused to bow to Stalin and his minions, he served bravely as On the first Chanukah, candles were lit all over the a mohel and a teacher of Torah, a beacon of light in a courtyard of the Holy . This brought G‑dless communist era. the Chanukah light from the inner sanctum of the Temple, the holiest spot on earth, out into the open. As But then the unthinkable happened. By Chanukah of Jews continue to observe Chanukah all over the globe, 1991, cracks had formed in the Iron Curtain and, in the the ripples of holiness continue to widen and expand. presence of approximately 6,000 Jewish people, Avraham Genin kindled a giant menorah inside the Kremlin Palace 8. Lots of Choices of Congresses. Public Chanukah menorah lightings have been a staple of Jewish Russian life ever since. Most Jewish holidays begin on only four out of seven days of the week. For example, the first day of Rosh 11. Chanukah in Space Hashanah can be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Shabbat—never Sunday, Wednesday or Friday. However December of 1993, Space since the month preceding Chanukah (Cheshvan) can Shuttle Endeavour was sent have 29 or 30 days, Chanukah can actually begin on any into space to service the day of the week besides Tuesday. Hubble Space Telescope. One of the astronauts to 9. Were the Maccabees Really So Great? bravely perform a spacewalk to repair the telescope was Any kid who attends Chabad preschool can tell you that Jeffrey Hoffman. the heroes of the Chanukah story are the Maccabees, the clan who led the brave insurgency against the Greeks Knowing that he would be stuck in space over invaders. But it was not all good. Judah Maccabee and Chanukah, Hoffman made sure to bring along a dreidel his family were Kohanim, members of the priestly tribe and a traveling menorah so that he’d be able to celebrate chosen by G‑d to minister in the Holy Temple. Judah (because of lack of gravity and safety concerns, there was Maccabee’s successors took the kingship for themselves, no way to light candles). something that rightfully belonged to the descendants of King David. Indeed, it did not take long until the Then, via live satellite communication, he showed his monarchy of Judea was dragged down into a series of

PagePage 24 11 Chanukah supplies, gave his dreidel a twirl in the air, and wished Jews everywhere a happy Chanukah

12. Is Your Menorah in the Doorway or at a Window?

The most common custom (outside of Israel) is to light the menorah at a window. In Mishnaic times, however, the menorah would be placed outside, on the left side of the door leading in from the street.

This led to a fascinating law. Normally if a person placed a candle in the street, and a straw-bearing donkey brushed by too close, the owner of the candle would be responsible for the ensuing conflagration. On Chanukah, however, he would be exempt because he was doing a mitzvah.

Why was the menorah placed to the left of the door? Because the mezuzah is placed on the right side. With the mezuzah on one side and the menorah on the other, you are literally surrounded by holiness.

The harsh realities of the diaspora, both sociopolitical and meteorological, forced the menorah to an indoor doorway, and some communities developed the custom to put it on the windowsill instead. Even today, many people (including Chabad) prefer to light in a doorway, surrounding ourselves with the mitzvahs of mezuzah and the menorah, just as in ancient times.

13. How Chanukah Went Public in Three Years

The purpose of the menorah is to spread awareness to as many people as possible. This is why the menorah is also lit in the synagogue every night. But in recent years, the mitzvah of menorah has rippled out even further.

During Chanukah of 1973, some Chabad-Lubavitch yeshivah students were planning to go to to distribute menorahs. They figured that if they could put a giant menorah on top of a car, many more people would notice them and take the menorahs they were distributing. Using wooden scraps and cinder blocks, they manage to make a large menorah and tie it down to the roof of a station wagon. The menorah turned out to be a success. By 1974, Rabbi Abraham Shemtov had the unusual, perhaps wild, idea of lighting a menorah right in front of Independence Hall, which houses the Liberty Bell, the icon of American freedom.

In 1975, on the opposite U.S. coast, Rabbi Chaim Drizin in San Francisco had made arrangements to light an oversized wooden menorah in the city’s Union Square. Bill Graham—a child survivor of the Holocaust and a well- known music promoter—donated a 22–foot-tall mahogany menorah, and the tradition grew into its current form.

In 2016, Chabad-Lubavitch set up more than 15,000 large public menorahs. Public lightings and Chanukah events were held in more than 90 countries around the world. Additionally, 5,000 menorah-topped vehicles roamed the roads, creating holiday awareness in cities, towns and rural areas around the world.

PagePage 25 11 The Chanukah Story

Under Syrian Rule

More than 2000 years ago there was a time when the land of Israel was part of the Syrian Empire, dominated by Syrian rulers of the dynasty of the Seleucids.

In order to relate the story that led up to Chanukah, we shall start with Antiochus III, the King of Syria, who reigned from 3538 to 3574 (222-186 B.C.E.). He had waged war with King Ptolemy of Egypt over the possession of the Land of Israel. Antiochus III was victorious and the Land of Israel was annexed to his empire. At the beginning of his reign he was favourably disposed toward the Jews and accorded them some privileges. Later on, however, entered the gate of the Temple. But suddenly, he became when he was beaten by the Romans and compelled to pay pale with fright. The next moment he fainted and fell to heavy taxes, the burden fell upon the various peoples of the ground. After Helyodros came to, he did not dare his empire who were forced to furnish the heavy gold that enter again. was required of him by the Romans. When Antiochus died, his son Seleucus IV took over, and further oppressed The “Madman” the Jews. A short time later, Seleucus was killed and his brother Added to the troubles from the outside were the grave Antiochus IV began to reign over Syria (in 3586 - 174 perils that threatened Judaism from within. The influence B.C.E.). He was a tyrant of a rash and impetuous nature, of the Hellenists (people who accepted idol-worship contemptuous of religion and of the feelings of others. and the Syrian way of life) was increasing. Yochanan, He was called “Epiphanes,” meaning “the gods’ beloved.” the High Priest, foresaw the danger to Judaism from the Several of the Syrian rulers received similar titles. But penetration of Syrian-Greek influence into the Holy Land. a historian of his time, Polebius, gave him the epithet For, in contrast to the ideal of outward beauty held by Epimanes (“madman”), a title more suitable to the the Greeks and Syrians, Judaism emphasizes truth and character of this harsh and cruel king. moral purity, as commanded by G-d in the holy Torah. The Jewish people could never give up their faith in G-d Desiring to unify his kingdom through the medium of a and accept the idol-worship of the Syrians. common religion and culture, Antiochus tried to root out the individualism of the Jews by suppressing all the Jewish Yochanan was therefore opposed to any attempt on the Laws. He removed the righteous High Priest, Yochanan, part of the Jewish Hellenists to introduce Greek and Syrian from the Temple in Jerusalem, and in his place installed customs into the land. The Hellenists hated him. One of Yochanan’s brother Joshua, who loved to call himself by them told the King’s commissioner that in the treasury of the Greek name of Jason. For he was a member of the the Temple there was a great deal of wealth. Hellenist party, and he used his high office to spread more and more of the Greek customs among the priesthood. The wealth in the treasury consisted of the contributions of “half a shekel” made by all adult Jews annually. That Joshua or Jason was later replaced by another man, was given for the purpose of the sacrifices on the altar, Menelaus, who had promised the king that he would as well as for fixing and improving the Temple building. bring in more money than Jason did. When Yochanan, Another part of the treasury consisted of orphans’ funds the former High Priest, protested against the spread of which were deposited for them until they became of age. the Hellenists’ influence in the Holy Temple, the ruling Seleucus needed money in order to pay the Romans. He High Priest hired murderers to assassinate him. sent his minister Helyodros to take the money from the treasury of the Temple. In vain did Yochanan, the High Antiochus was at that time engaged in a successful war Priest, beg him not to do it. Helyodros did not listen and against Egypt. But messengers from Rome arrived and

Page 26 commanded him to stop the war, and he had to yield. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, a rumour spread that a serious accident, had befallen Antiochus. Thinking that he was dead, the people rebelled against Menelaus. The treacherous High Priest fled together with his friends.

The Martyrs

Antiochus returned from Egypt enraged by Roman interference with his ambitions. When he heard what had taken place in Jerusalem, he ordered his army to fall upon the Jews. Thousands of Jews were killed. Antiochus then enacted a series of harsh decrees against the Jews. gods. Mattityahu replied, “I, my sons and my brothers are Jewish worship was forbidden; the scrolls of the Law determined to remain loyal to the covenant which our G-d were confiscated and burned. Sabbath rest, circumcision made with our ancestors!” and the dietary laws were prohibited under penalty of death. Thereupon, a Hellenistic Jew approached the altar to offer a sacrifice. Mattityahu grabbed his sword and killed him, Even one of the respected elders of that generation, Rabbi and his sons and friends fell upon the Syrian officers and Eliezer, a man of 90, was ordered by the servants of men. They killed many of them and chased the rest away. Antiochus to eat pork so that others would do the same. They then destroyed the altar. When he refused they suggested to him that he pick up the meat to his lips to appear to be eating. But Rabbi Mattityahu knew that Antiochus would be enraged when Eliezer refused to do even that and was put to death. he heard what had happened. He would certainly send an There were thousands of others who likewise sacrificed expedition to punish him and his followers. Mattityahu, their lives. The famous story of Hannah and her seven therefore, left the village of Modin and fled together children happened at that time. with his sons and friends to the hills of Judea. All loyal and courageous Jews joined them. They formed legions Antiochus’ men went from town to town and from village and from time to time they left their hiding places to fall to village to force the inhabitants to worship pagan gods. upon enemy detachments and outposts, and to destroy Only one refuge area remained and that was the hills of the pagan altars that were built by order of Antiochus. Judea with their caves. But even there did the Syrians pursue the faithful Jews, and many a Jew died a martyr’s The Maccabees death. Before his death, Mattityahu called his sons together Mattityahu and urged them to continue to fight in defence of G d’s Torah. He asked them to follow the counsel of their One day the henchmen of Antiochus arrived in the village brother Shimon the Wise. In waging warfare, he said, their of Modin where Mattityahu, the old priest, lived. The leader should be Yehuda the Strong. Yehuda was called Syrian officer built an altar in the marketplace of the village “Maccabee,” a word composed of the initial letters of and demanded that Mattityahu offer sacrifices to the Greek the four Hebrew words Mi Komocho Bo’eilim Hashem, “Who is like unto Thee, O G-d.”

Antiochus sent his General Apolonius to wipe out Yehuda and his followers, the Maccabees. Though greater in number and equipment than their adversaries, the Syrians were defeated by the Maccabees. Antiochus sent out another expedition which also was defeated. He realized that only by sending a powerful army could he hope to defeat Yehuda and his brave fighting men. An army consisting of more than 40,000 men swept the land under the leadership of two commanders, Nicanor and Gorgiash. When Yehuda and his brothers heard of that, they exclaimed: “Let us fight Page 27 unto death in defence of our souls and our Temple!” The people assembled in Mitzpah, where Samuel, the prophet of old, had offered prayers to G-d. After a series of battles the war was won.

The Dedication

Now the Maccabees returned to Jerusalem to liberate it. They entered the Temple and cleared it of the idols placed there by the Syrian vandals. Yehuda and his followers built a new altar, which he dedicated on the twenty-fifth of the month of Kislev, in the year 3622.

Since the golden Menorah had been stolen by the Syrians, the Maccabees now made one of cheaper metal. When they wanted to light it, they found only a small cruse of pure available. That miracle proved that G-d had again taken olive oil bearing the seal of the High Priest Yochanan. It His people under His protection. In memory of this, our was sufficient to light only for one day. By a miracle of G-d, sages appointed these eight days for annual thanksgiving it continued to burn for eight days, till new oil was made and for lighting candles.

1) On which Jewish date does Chanukah begin? 2) What does Chanukah mean? 3) When do we light the menorah? 4) How many sons did Mattisyahu have? 5) How many blessings do we say before lighting the menorah on the first night? 6) How long should the Chanukah lights burn for? 7) On Friday what do we light first the Shabbos candles or the Chanukah lights? 8) Which nation ruled over Israel at the time of the Chanukah story? 9) What was the name of the king of that nation? 10) What was the name of the leader of the Jewish rebellion? 11) What was the name of his son and successor? 12) What was the name of the woman whose seven sons were killed and who sacrificed her own life rather than worship idols? 13) How many lights did the menorah in the Temple have? 14) What do the letters on the dreidel stand for? www.chanukah.org Page 28 How the Gulag Judge Lit the

Menorahby Asharon Baltazar

Repeatedly arrested for his “counter-revolutionary” The loud crash of the door opening shattered the men’s activities to preserve the flickering flame of Judaism in reverie. Camp guards rushed through the doorway and the , Reb Mordechai Chanzin frequently flooded the cramped space. The Jewish inmates were found himself behind bars. His first sentence amounted grabbed by brutish hands and shoved through the camp. to 10 years in a forced-labor camp. After his release, Reb When they reached a small dank cell, they were ordered Mordechai was again found guilty and punished with to pile inside. five more years. His third and final sentence resulted in six years. Overall, between the years 1935 and 1956, The first to be brought to trial was the ringleader, Reb he spent 21 years in Soviet prisons and camps. In his Mordechai. Inside the small courtroom, which consisted short stints of freedom he selflessly devoted himself to of the judge’s desk and a bench for the defendant, the preserving Judaism behind the Iron Curtain. proceedings were all but pro forma. Reb Mordechai had already predicted his indictment, and solemnly awaited Among his many experiences, there was one story that the verdict. he would tell again and again: “This is an act of treason,” said the prosecutor. “By As the Siberian winter deepened, Chanukah came, lighting the candles, you intended to signal to enemy and a group of young Jewish men, all prisoners of the forces. The penalty for this is death.” Gulag, convened for a short meeting. The topic: how to obtain and light a secret menorah. One promised to The judge regarded the young man standing in front of supply margarine to be used as fuel. Some frayed threads him. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?” from standard-issue camp garb would suffice as wicks. Even small cups to hold the margarine were procured Reb Mordechai’s heart pounded in his chest as he from somewhere. Of course, all this was against camp approached the judge. “Is it just me, or is it the rest of regulations, and they all understood the implication of the group too?” their actions should they be caught. “All of you,” enunciated the judge dryly. Reb Mordechai was the eldest of the group of 18 men, and was therefore honored to usher in the holiday by Reb Mordechai was devastated. lighting of the first candle. In the dead of night, in a small garden shed, the hardy crew crowded around their The courtroom began to spin around him. Whatever makeshift menorah and listened to Reb Mordechai’s indifference he was able to afford until then vanished emotional voice as he recited the first blessings, tears in the terror-stricken realization that his fellow brothers trickling down his cheeks. Reb Mordechai and his would be led to their deaths. He blamed himself. comrades gazed silently at the small yellow light, each one recalling Chanukah in his parents’ home. Reb Mordechai burst into bitter tears, and for a few minutes he stood in front of the judge, sobbing uncontrollably. Years of crushing pain and pent-up Page 29 emotions overwhelmed him and couldn’t be stopped. quickly in an orange blaze and a few wisps of smoke. As if he were afraid to delay lest he change his mind, the “Come close,” said the judge. judge worked quickly through the pile, saying “You see? This is how you light Chanukah candles.” Soon there Reb Mordechai took a step towards the judge’s desk. was nothing remaining of the pile. Softly, the judge asked about his relatives, their means of livelihood and other personal details. Reb Mordechai Finished, the judge scooped up the scattered ashes, answered the judge’s inquires. strode over to the window and tossed them into the Siberian wind. Sitting down, the judge reached for the “What do you have to say for yourself?” the judge buzzer on his table and summoned the guards. pressed on. “Take this group of 18 men,” the judge barked, “and Mustering temerity he did not feel, Reb Mordechai separate them, making sure that it would be impossible addressed the judge, “We are Jews, and we lit the candles for them to see one another. There’s no point in killing that night to observe the holiday of Chanukah.” them; they are not worth even one bullet.”

“You lit Chanukah candles? You lit Chanukah candles?” The guards marched out, and Reb Mordechai was again the judge repeated to himself, clearly unsettled. “You left alone with the judge. The latter faced Reb Mordechai don’t say . . . Chanukah candles.” and said in a trembling voice, “I too am a Jew, and I beg you to make sure that the future generations of our Recomposing himself, the judge called to the two guards people will know to light the Chanukah candles.” present in the courtroom and asked them to stand outside. When the door clicked closed, the judge turned In 1956, a few years following Stalin’s death, hundreds of his attention back to Reb Mordechai. thousands of prisoners were pardoned and their names cleared. Among them was Reb Mordechai Chanzin, “If you lit Chanukah candles, let me demonstrate the who was finally given permission to leave the camps right way to light them.” that had robbed him of decades of life. Chanzin moved to Moscow, where he became secretary to Chief Rabbi Reb Mordechai watched the judge light a small lamp. Yehudah Leib Levin. A decade later, through the efforts Picking up the incriminating documents gingerly, with of the Rebbe, he was allowed to immigrate to Israel, trembling hands, the judge slid the first one off and held where he was reunited with his brother Dovid, the rabbi it to the flame. The paper caught fire and disappeared of Petach Tikva.

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Page 30 That’s

Mine!www.chabad.org

Menorahs seem to be popping up everywhere this time familiar in those -framed windows. of year. It’s hard to miss them. The little group continued on their way, most of the In shopping malls and parks, in front of municipal children chattering excitedly. A teacher noticed that buildings and communityAs most of the children Joshie was uncharacteristically quiet and fell in step with oohed and aahed, Joshie remained silent centers, at busy him. intersections and near highways, they stand proudly. Their fiery arms lifted towards the heavens, these “Joshie, don’t you like seeing the holiday decorations?” menorahs shine brightly against the night sky. “Holiday?” He repeated, looking confused. After a Joshie was only 10 years old, and although his father moment, he shook his head. “No, not looking like my was a rabbi, he did not attend the private Orthodox holiday.” school that his siblings went to. Joshie was born with certain challenges, and he needed a school with highly The teacher had no answer to give and walked silently trained specialty staff. alongside Joshie, his heart going out to this little boy.

One frosty morning in December, the children from The group turned a corner and found themselves at Joshie’s class were led to a bus and dropped off with the edge of a large plaza. AllA smile lit up his face as he their teachers in the busy downtown area of their pointed to the object eyes were drawn to the enormous city. The children looked in wonder at the crowds of fir decorated with hundreds of yards of shiny shoppers passing by, the long lines of honking cars tinsel—all eyes, that is, except one pair. Little Joshie was impatiently waiting for pedestrians to finish crossing looking a bit further to the right, at the giant menorah. and the tall buildings blocking the winter sun. After A smile lit up his face as he pointed to the familiar making sure that every child was accounted for, the object and cried out: “THAT’S MINE!” teachers led their group down the street. Their goal was to show the children the holiday season’s displays and When Joshie’s father heard what happened on the the intricately decorated shop windows. excursion, he found a deep message in his son’s words. He said: “Today, there are many Jews who are ‘religiously As most of the children oohed and aahed, Joshie challenged’ and don’t know much about their heritage, but remained silent. He stood on the periphery, somehow when they see the public menorah, something within lights knowing instinctively that he would not find anything up with Jewish pride, and they feel it, knowing, ‘That’s Mine.’ Page 31 Why Couldn’t the Jews and Greeks Just Get Along?

by Tzvi Freemna www.chabad.org

Question: believe there was any other culture they ever oppressed or forbade. Every new culture had its set of gods and rituals, It’s hard for me to get into Chanukah. As far as I can see, the and that was just great. “Hey, you got gods? We got gods, whole thing was a major disaster. Here we have a meeting too! Here, let’s trade god cards! How ‘bout mix and match? of two rich cultures, with so much to share, so much to You got rituals? You got belief-systems? We’re into all that contribute to the world together, so much synergy that stuff! We’ll even help you make big, pretty statues!” Greeks could happen, and instead, BOOM! — the extremists of were great syncretists — meaning, they could jerry together both sides hit the battlefield. every culture of the known world and make one big tzimmes out of all of it. I don’t get it. The Greeks were universalists. They were open to new ideas from wherever they came. They So what on earth did they have against the Jews? spread knowledge and understanding throughout the Mediterranean. Here was an opportunity to take Jewish Sure, there were political power-plays going on that were values to the world, to go public. Why couldn’t those the ostensible reasons for the conflict. But it’s obvious there Maccabee hotheads work out some sort of compromise? was something deeper at play. Some subliminal annoyance that brought out the worst in the Greek and pushed the The Short Answer: Maccabees to revolt. Apparently, there was something about the Jewish mind that didn’t mix and match. Actually, this was the greatest thing that could have happened to the Greek mind: To discover that one thing it Now look at it from the Jewish side: Jews have also could not tolerate — something like the massage therapist borrowed from every culture they’ve come in contact with. who helps you to find that one trigger point where you can’t Whatever your grandmother tells you, Abraham did not be touched. smear his gefilte fish with chrane. One culture we borrowed more from than perhaps any other was that of Ancient For the Jew, as well, this was a defining experience. The red Greece. The Talmud tells us that the only language the lines became clear, and with those guidelines, the essential Torah could be translated into elegantly is Greek. They said Torah was made able to survive to this day. it was a beautiful language. They say that of all peoples, the Greeks had ideas closest to ours. They praised many of the The Long Answer: Greek philosophers. Maimonides wrote that Aristotle was half a prophet. The Seder Hadorot, a kind of classic Jewish You’re right about one thing: The whole Chanukah story history book, claims that Aristotle was really Jewish! was completely out of character for Ancient Greece. I don’t

Page 32 So what is going on here? Why such a violent clash? Why Greek: Well, I’m sorry then. If He has no image, we can’t were the Jews unable to work out some sort of compromise make a statue. with a Hellenist ruler? Jew: That’s fine with us. We need to know because in a very real way, Chanukah lives on. Our society today is a bizarre grafting of these two Greek: But we’d like to write books about Him. So just give cultures, the Hellenist and the Jewish. If this conflict existed us some definition and we’ll work around it. back then, the question is, has there been some resolution over time? Or are we still fighting Greek elephants? Simply Jew: Oh, our G‑d can’t be defined. put: Is our society schizoid? Greek: Come, now. Everything has to have a definition. Or Head-To-Head — and Beyond else it’s not a thing.

So here’s how the conversation goes. Which conversation? J: But G‑d is not a thing. He creates things. But He isn’t a The conversation that’s been going on ever since the Greek thing. mind and the Jewish mind met one another, almost two and a half millennia ago. Where does it happen? Mostly, Greek: Oh! So He is the Cosmic Mind Who conceives and somewhere deep inside Jewish minds: shapes all forms from the primal essence-matter.

Greek: So tell us about your gods, Mr. Maccabee. J: No, He doesn’t just form them, He creates them. Out of nothing. Jew: Um, that’s singular. Greek: Now you’re getting silly. You can’t make something Greek: Okay, tell me about your gods. out of nothing. You need stuff to make it out of.

Jew: No, not you. G‑d. G‑d is singular. Only one god. Jew: But there wasn’t any stuff when things began.

Greek: Don’t worry, we’ve got so many I’m sure we can Greek: There was always stuff. How else could the Cosmic spare a few. Mind make anything?

Jew: That’s okay, one is enough. Jew: Out of nothing!

Greek: So, this one G‑d, what does He look like? We’d love Greek: Look, you Jews don’t really think straight. But that’s to make some nice statues for you. You poor, uncultured okay. We’ve conquered all sorts of primitive cultures. You’ll people, you have no statues! learn, too. So, you worship the Cosmic Mind — you’ll get along just great with Aristotle and… Jew: That’s because He doesn’t have looks. Jew: No, He’s not just the Cosmic Mind. Greek: No looks? Ugly? That’s cool! A god of ugliness! Don’t worry, we can make ugly statues, too. Greek: Well, nothing’s higher than the Cosmic Mind.

Jew: No, no. He has no looks at all. You can’t see Him. J: Because that’s not who He is. I mean, even if He didn’t make a world, He would still be G‑d. So you can’t say, “that’s Greek: An invisible G‑d? Well, maybe we can do that in who He is — the One that makes a world.” There doesn’t glass. But you have to give us some description. have to be a world for Him to exist.

Jew: Nope. Sorry. No description. Greek: Of course there has to be a world. Otherwise, why is there a world if there doesn’t have to be one? The world Greek: You mean nobody ever saw Him? How can you makes sense. The Cosmic Mind makes sense. That’s what worship something if you don’t know what it looks like? I it’s all about. Reason. The highest and most perfect of all mean, how do you know He exists in the first place? things. We Greeks will teach you all about that. So, now tell me about your rituals. We Greeks really dig rituals. Any that Jew: It’s not that we don’t know what He looks like. He have to do with wine? Parties? doesn’t have any looks. He has no image. Page 33 Jew: Sure, we make kiddush on Friday night to Jew: I’ll bet you He could break them. I’ll bet our G‑d commemorate the Creation of the world from nothing. could make a world where parallel lines meet. He could break any of the laws of nature. Greek: Well, you can give up that one now, since I’ve just shown you that creation of the world from nothing makes Greek: You can’t break laws of nature! They’re not like laws no sense whatsoever. of the state or like your silly laws about cheeseburgers. They are truths. They are perfect. They are the ground of reality. Jew: We don’t eat milk with meat. They are because they have to be.

Greek: Why not? Jew: Nothing has to be. Nothing but the Source of Being. But He could be any way He wants. Jew: G‑d says so. Greek: Geometry has to be. Cause and effect has to be. Greek: For what reason? Logic has to be. If A = B then B = A. That is an absolute Truth. It must be. Jew: Reason? He needs a reason? For the same reason He created heaven and earth! Jew: Why?

Greek: Which is? Greek: Why?! Because if they don’t have to be, then I and you and this whole world have no real substance! And that Jew: He just wanted to. cannot be!

Greek: That’s not a reason! Jew: That’s just what I was trying to tell you. This world has no real substance. The only truth is… Jew: Sure it is. He decided He would like a world where there would be milk and meat and He would tell people, Greek: Don’t say it, Mr. Maccabee! You people are “Don’t eat that milk and meat together!” and they would downright dangerous. listen. And that is why the Greeks did not forbid Jewish practice Greek: That makes no sense. That’s not a reason! altogether. What they (initially) forbade were those practices that they saw as irrational. Those practices that Jews do Jew: Reason is just another of His creations. simply because they believe they have a relationship with a Being who is higher than reason. That, they could not Greek: Reason is the ultimate! There is nothing higher than tolerate. Reason! Of course, as you know, eventually some bright boys came Jew: Okay then, explain to me why the world is the way it up with geometries where parallel lines meet; cause and is. Why does one plus one equal two? Why does the square effect got bumped out of quantum physics; the world was of the length of the hypotenuse equal the sum of the squares discovered to have had a beginning; and even now it still is of the lengths of the other two sides? Why do parallel lines really nothing because the sum of all radiant energy minus never meet? all of the universe’s mass equals zero. Most of us today have accepted that there are things that are the way they are not Greek: Because those are the rules of geometry! for any reason, but just because that’s the way they are. Nothing has to be the way it is. Why do masses attract? Jew: So why does the Cosmic Mind, as you call Him, have Why is the grass green? Why is there anything at all? There to follow your rules of geometry? doesn’t have to be a reason for everything, because reason is not the foundation of reality. So what’s so absurd about Greek: They’re not our rules! They are the self-evident truths connecting to the Foundation of Reality through mitzvot of nature! that are beyond reason?

Jew: Why are these the truths and not something else? Mind Under Matter

Greek: You stubborn Jew! Don’t you see that this is the most Nevertheless, the battle continues. You see, as mentioned elegant, rational way things could be? above, the Greek mind, aside from worshipping human

Page 34 intellect, is also a great syncretist. That means it can hammer even further down, below the line, to become a long nun. together the most incongruous ideologies without blinking It’s all a description of the process of intellect sinking into an eyelid. You’ve heard of Rice-Christians? Peyote-Catholics? the material world and, with nothing to hold it in place, The Greek mind could do any of that, and more. sinking further and further.

The two characteristics go hand in hand: When there’s A Donkey and an Ox nothing higher than intellect, intellect has no guiding light. Everything, even the stupidest thing — as long as it doesn’t Today, we have those syncretists who wish to marry deny intellect — can be tolerated. Aristotle knew that the materialism with Torah. And nothing is less congruous than pantheon of Athenian gods was nonsense. But what’s wrong that. with the common people, who cannot understand any better, having their way? Materialism is the ultimate of Greece stuck in the mud. It is the idea that all that exists is that which can be observed, You can easily see that a knowledge of an absolute Divine described and explained. Evolutionism, for example, is a Will beyond reason has become a necessity for human materialistic explanation of existence. When people became survival. Without the supposition of a Divine Will, disillusioned with the church and with faith, they needed whatever you wish to make sense can make sense. If your an explanation of existence that relied on Chance and system of logic cannot support an idea, just change the Necessity alone, without recourse to G‑d. Darwinism and postulates and rethink the data. Anything can be made to current cosmologies provide just that. So do the standard make sense when you determine the assumptions. Every interpretations of history we are taught today. society has had its philosophers and philosophers have justified everything imaginable — from coliseum killing Torah is an understanding that behind the world lies a games to gas chambers. Divine Will, unhampered by the limitations of nature or human logic — because it is the source of all this. Why are Strangely, this may have worked to humanity’s advantage there laws of nature? Because G‑d generally chooses to work in one regard: The Greek mind applied itself to figuring in consistent ways. Why did history unfold the way it did? out the material world. When your belief system begins Because that is all in G‑d’s plan. with Divine revelation you don’t necessarily apply yourself to mundane matters of how things work. So technological When someone tries to provide a materialistic explanation progress became chiefly the domain of the Greek mind for Torah and mitzvot, they are creating a Procrustean bed, throughout history. killing all sense of Torah in the process. So too, attempting to resolve conflicts between evolutionary doctrines and But it also has some nefarious consequences. Because when Torah makes less sense than marrying a donkey to an ox. you marry intellect and materialism (a good description of Stalin’s Russia and Hitler’s Germany), you’ve entered a Yes, we try to understand as much as we can. The Torah bottomless pit of quicksand. commands us to think deeply, to immerse our intellects in study and comprehension. Whatever we can fit into Which brings us to a fascinating point. The Lubavitcher intellect, we must strive to do so. Whatever explanation we Rebbe points out that in Hebrew, the name for ancient can give, we must give it. But always with the sense that Greece, Yavan, has another meaning: quicksand (as in with every new grain of understanding, we have expanded Psalms 40:3 and Talmud, Eruvin 19a). Water mixes with the seashore of the Infinite Unknowable. sand, dirt and clay. You step in it and you can’t get out. The more you try to climb up, the further down you go. We can have a thousand reasons for not mixing meat and milk, but when it comes down to it, we do it because that Take a look at the letters that spell Yavan in Hebrew: iuh. It is our personal connection with the Divine Will, the Life of starts with a small point of a yud — representing wisdom. All Things. And that is the victory of Chanukah. That stretches down to become a vav. And the vav stretches

Page 35 Chanukah Recipes Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts with a Hint of Citrus These cute little doughnuts are perfect Dough 2¼ tsp. dry yeast little mouthfuls of fluffy doughnut, 2 tbsp. warm water powdery sugar, aromatic cinnamon ¾ cup soy or almond milk and a refreshing hint of orange. 6 tbsp. sugar If you’re not a fan of traditional ½ tsp. sea salt sufganiyot (jam doughnuts), try 1 egg these as an alterntaive. 3 tbsp. oil Place yeast, warm water and 1 tsp. 3+ cups flour sugar in bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes Oil for frying until frothy. Coating Mix yeast mixture, sugar, oil, eggs, salt, sugar and soy/almond milk with 2 cups of 1 cup sugar flour on a low speed. 1 tbsp. cinnamon zest of 1 orange Slowly add in the rest of the flour until dough is no longer sticky. It should feel seeds of 1/2 a vanilla bean somewhat like a bread dough. pinch of sea salt or kosher salt Knead for 5 minutes, then cover the bowl with a damp cloth and let rise approximately 1 hour, until dough has doubled in size. Roll the dough into small balls and let rise on parchment paper for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a frying pan or pot. Drop in a few doughnuts at a time. Flip each doughnut so both sides can brown. NOTE: If you find that the outside is becoming too dark before the centers are cooked through, your oil is too hot and you need to either add some new oil to bring the temperature down, or take it off the fire for a couple of minutes, then lower the flame and try again. Remove the doughnuts from the oil and drain briefly on a paper towel. Place the coating ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork or whisk to make sure the flavors are evenly distributed. While the doughnuts are still warm, roll them in the mixture so that it sticks to all sides. Yields: 30 doughnuts

Strawberry Filled Doughnuts

Doughnuts Pour the warm water, yeast and 1 tsp. sugar into 3 tbsp. dry yeast a small bowl. Set aside for 5-10 minutes until 1 tsp. sugar frothy. ½ cup warm water In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, but- 3 cups flour ter and eggs. Add the yeast mixture and knead 1/3 cup sugar until the dough is smooth and stretchy. Cover 2½ tbsp oil the bowl with a damp towel (or saran wrap) and 2 eggs place it in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. Canola oil for frying Roll the dough out to approximately ½-inch Ice sugar for dusting thickness. Use a cookie cutter, or the mouth of a Strawberry Filling glass, to cut circles from the dough. Transfer the dough circles to a parchment-paper lined ¾ cup water cookie sheet and set them aside to rise for 20 minutes. Heat the water and slowly add the 5 tbsp. corn starch cornstarch. Once the cornstarch has completely dissolved, add the sugar and strawberries. 1 cup sugar Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. 3 cups strawberries Let mixture cool, then place it in a piping bag, or a zip-top bag. Cut off the corner and squeeze filling into the doughnut. Fill a deep frying pan or wide-bottomed pot with 3 inches of canola oil. Heat the oil to 350°F / 180°C. Gently drop the doughnuts into the oil and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden. Remove and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Repeat until all doughnuts have been fried. Poke a hole in the side of each doughnut and insert filling (recipe below). Dust with confectioners sugar. Yields: 20 doughnuts

Page 36 The Thursday Club Solihull Jewish Community Centre 3 Monastery Drive, Solihull, B91 1 DW

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Page 37 Dates in Jewish History

1st Kislev - 1757 Assembly approves resolution equating Zionism with In 1757, volumes of the Talmud were burned in racism. Kamenetz-Podolsk, Russia. The instigators were 8 Kislev 5739 - December 8, 1978: followers of Jacob Frank, a Jewish merchant who claimed to be the messiah and successor of the false messiah, Shabbatai Tzvi. Frank’s followers broke away Golda Meir (1898-1978), prime minister of Israel from from Judaism and created a new religion known as the 1969 to 1974, died in Jerusalem. Born in Kiev, Russia, Frankists, a quasi-Jewish, quasi-Christian religion. The she was subjected to brutal pogroms and moved with local bishop held a debate between the rabbis and the her family to Milwaukee at age of eight. It was 10 years Frankists; when the bishop decided that the rabbis lost later, while organizing an American protest march the debate, he ordered them to pay a fine and to burn against these Russian pogroms, that Meir decided to all copies of the Talmud in the district. make aliyah. Meir became involved in politics at age 24 and was among the signers of Israel’s Declaration of 5678 - November 16, 1917: Independence. Meir became Israel’s first Ambassador to the Soviet Union, and served as Prime Minister during The British occupied . the tense time of the 1973 . She once said: “Peace will come when the Arabs love their 1 Kislev 5769 - November 28, 2008: children more than they hate us.” 8 Kislev 5746 - November 21, 1985: Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg, were among 200 people killed when terrorists attacked Mumbai, India. The Holtzbergs selflessly ran the , Jonathan Pollard, who had worked for Naval a beacon of hope and kindness in a city filled with Intelligence, is arrested in Washington and charged poverty and despair. with spying for Israel, 1985. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. 30 years later on 8 Kislev 5776 he was 3 Kislev circa 3622 - 140 B.C.E.: finally released from prison.

The Hasmoneans removed all the idols from the Beit 13 Kislev 499 C.E. HaMikdash. The day is cited as a Yom Tov in Megillat Taanit. Yahrtzeit of Ravina, co-editor of the Babylonian 6 Kislev 5718 - November 29 1957 Talmud, a voluminous work that is the prime repository of Jewish law and lore. Ravina’s father In 1958, Jerusalem inaugurated a new water reservoir, died when he was young, so he was educated by his thus assuring the holy city of an adequate water mother. In 475 CE, Ravina and his teacher Rav Ashi supply for the first time in its 3,000-year history. collected and commented on the rabbinic discussions Jerusalem’s shortage of water was long its weakness that would henceforth be known as the Babylonian in time of military siege. Back in the days of King Talmud. Ravina’s death in 499 CE marked the end of David, a tunnel had been dug from the Old City the talmudic period to a neighboring valley, to channel water inside the 15 Kislev 3954 - 193 C.E Old City Walls. In modern times, the problem was exacerbated in 1948 when the Arab blockade of Jerusalem left its residents without a water supply. Death of Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, son of Rabi Shimon ben Gamliel. He was elected Nasi -- spiritual and civil 6 Kislev 5736 - November 10, 1975: head of the Jewish community after the death of his father, Rabi Shimon ben Gamliel. He was the leader That bastion of impartiality - the UN General of the Jewish people during the period following the

Page 38 Arab state. Jerusalem and its 100,000 Jews was to 25 Kislev - 3631 B.C.E.: be completely surrounded on four sides by the Arab state, and administered as an international zone. Cain killed his younger brother, Hevel (Abel). The first Despite these unfavourable terms, the Jewish Agency murder of history occurred on the 25th of Kislev in the immediately accepted the Partition Plan; the Arabs year 41 from creation, as recounted in the 4th chapter immediately rejected it. Fighting began soon after, of Bereishit / Genesis. leading to a full-scale assault in 1948 by troops from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi and Yemen. 25 Kislev 2450 - 1312 B.C.E.:

19 Kislev 5559 - November 27, 1798: Preparation of the Mishkan completed in the desert.

The founder of the Lubavitch dynasty, HaRav Shneur The vessels, tapestries, wall sections and other Zalman of , was released from the Peter-Paul components of the Tabernacle were completed on the Fortress in Petersburg, where he had been held for 52 25th of Kislev in the year 2450. The Mishkan was days on charges of treason for sending financial support not assembled, however, until 3 months later, when, to the Jewish Community in Israel that at the time beginning on 25 Adar of that year, it was erected and was under Turkish rule. Yud-Tet Kislev is celebrated by taken down daily for a 7-day “training” period prior to Lubavitcher Chabad chasidim as a Yom Tov. its dedication on the 1st of Nissan.

21 Kislev 3442 - 320 B.C.E.: 25 Kislev 3622 - 140 B.C.E.:

An historic meeting occurred between Shimon In 140 BCE, the Maccabees defeated the vastly more HaTzaddik and Alexander the Great of Macedonia. numerous and powerful armies of the Syrian-Greek When Alexander beheld the visage of Shimon King Antiochus IV, who had tried to forcefully uproot HaTzaddik , the Kohen Gadol, he made the rare move the beliefs and practices of Judaism from the people of dismounting from his horse and bowing respectfully; of Israel. The victorious Jews repaired, cleansed and to his men he explained that he often had dreams rededicated the Beit HaMikdash in Yerushalayim to and visions of Shimon HaTzaddik leading him into the service of Hashem. All the Beit HaMikdash’s oil battle. Shimon HaTzaddik brought the emperor to had been defiled by the pagan invaders; and when the the Beit HaMikdash and explained to the king how Jews sought to light the Beit HaMikdash’s Menorah concerned the Jews were for his safety and prosperity. (candelabra), they found only one small cruse of He also explained that Judaism prohibits the display ritually pure olive oil. They lit the Menorah with the of any graven image; he offered to name all the male one-day supply, which miraculously, burned for eight children born to priests that year “Alexander” as a days, until new, pure oil could be obtained. demonstration of loyalty to the emperor (which is how In commemoration, the Sages instituted the 8-day “Alexander” became a common Jewish name). festival of Chanukah, on which lights are kindled nightly by Jews around the world to recall and 24 Kislev 3409 - 358 B.C.E.: publicize the miracle of the oil, and its message that continues to illuminate our lives today. The cornerstone for the Second Beit HaMikdash was laid. 25 Kislev 4856 - November 26, 1095: In the first year of the rule of Cyrus, the King of Persia, Jews were given permission to return to Eretz Yisroel, Proclamation of the first Crusade. and rebuild the Beit HaMikdash. A group of Jews led by Zerubavel set out for Yerushalayim and began 1 Tevet 3400 - 362 B.C.E.: working on the second Beit HaMikdash. However, the Cutheans falsely accused the Jews of plotting a Esther, after having won a kingdom-wide beauty rebellion against King Cyrus and were successful in pageant, was forcibly taken to King Achashverosh’s halting the construction of the Beit HaMikdash for palace. the remainder of his reign and throughout the reign of Ahasuerus, his successor. Construction resumed in the 7 Tevet 5521 - December 14, 1760: second year of the reign of Darius, Ahasuerus’s son, on the 24th of Kislev. (Chaggai 2:10-23) Board of Deputies of British Jews was founded. Page 39 Teves 15th 5723 - 1963 Teves 23rd 5691 - 1931

In 1963, Israel’s first desalinating water facility opened Yahrtzeit of Nathan Straus (1848-1931), an American in Eilat. Israel is inherently poor in water bodies -- merchant and philanthropist. Straus was a co-owner about 90% of the land area is dryland, and 60% of the of R.H. Macy & Co., yet he never amassed personal country is covered by the Negev desert. Desalination wealth because he was always using his money to help is a process of producing water from salty and/or people. For example, in New York’s winter of 1893, contaminated water. Today, Israel’s national water he gave away more than two million five-cent tickets company, Mekorot, operates 29 desalination plants, good for coal, food and lodging. His greatest devotion, mainly in the south of the country. however, was to Israel. He gave more than two-thirds of his fortune and devoted the last 15 years of his life 20th Teves 1204 to this cause. The Israeli city of Netanya is named for “Nathan” Straus. Yahrtzeit of Maimonides (1135-1204), also known as the Rambam (an acronym for his name, Rabbi 28th Teves 1728 ben Maimon). Maimonides was born in Spain, but was forced to flee due to a radical Muslim regime that Yahrtzeit of Rabbi David Nieto (1654-1728), leader gave the Jews a choice of accepting Mohammed or of the Sephardic community in London. Rabbi Nieto leaving. Maimonides finally settled in Cairo, where came from Venice and was highly respected as both in addition to leading the Jewish community, he a rabbi and a medical doctor who wrote extensively was a top physician who served in the royal court of on scientific topics. In 1698, Nieto became spiritual the Sultan of Egypt. Maimonides’ magnum opus is leader of the Bevis Marks Synagogue, the oldest Jewish Mishneh Torah, a comprehensive 14-volume code synagogue in London that came to be regarded as the of Jewish law which has since been the subject of religious center of the Anglo-Jewish world. Today, more than 300 commentaries. Maimonides’ great the original building is still in use, and the synagogue philosophical treatise, Guide for the Perplexed, explains interior retains its original furnishings. Jewish theology in light of Aristotelian philosophy and science. A popular saying is that “from Moses [of the 1st Shevat 2488 - 1273 B.C.E. Torah] to Moses [Maimonides], there has never been one like Moses.” Maimonides is recognized today as the On this date, as the Jewish people were completing greatest medieval Jewish philosopher. He is buried in 40 years of wandering in the desert, Moses gathered Tiberias, Israel. the entire the nation and began his farewell address. Moses’ speech would continue for 40 days until his Teves 22nd 1798 death, as described in the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses reviewed the commandments of the Torah, gave In 1798, mobs attempted to torch the Jewish ghetto a historical reflection, prophesized about future events, of Rome, but rains put out the fire. The day was then and offered poetic blessings. Also during this time, designated as a holiday by Roman Jews. The Roman Moses wrote 13 Torah scrolls -- one for each tribe, plus Ghetto had been in existence since 1555, when the one to place in the Ark of the Covenant. Pope segregated the Jews in a walled quarter with three gates that were locked at night. The Jews were 2nd Teves 5707 - 1947 also subjected to various restrictions and degradations, On this date in 1947, the Arab Legion surrounded including having to attend compulsory Catholic Jerusalem and isolated its 100,000 Jews from the rest sermons on Shabbat. During Rome’s annual carnival, of the Israeli population. By March 1948 the city scantily-clad Jews were forced to race along the main was under full siege, and in May, Jordan invaded and street, while the crowd mocked them, threw trash, and occupied east Jerusalem, dividing the city for the first rained heavy blows. (The event often proved fatal.) time in its history, and driving thousands of Jews into Hygienic conditions inside the ghetto were terrible, exile. The Arabs proceeded to destroy all 58 synagogues and there was constant flooding from the nearby Tiber in the Jewish Quarter, and used Jewish gravestones on River. Outside the ghetto, Jews were required to wear the Mount of Olives to build roads and latrines. The identifying yellow clothing. When Napoleonic forces Western Wall would be off-limits to Jews (in spite of occupied Rome, the ghetto was legally abolished in the cease-fire agreement granting freedom of access to 1808, and the city of Rome tore down the ghetto walls holy places), restored again with Israel’s victory in the in 1888. 1967 war. Page 40 Did you know that a donation of £125 can cost you only £75?

Gift aid and higher rate tax payers

If you pay higher rate tax, you can reclaim the difference between the higher rate of tax (40 per cent) and the basic rate of tax (20 per cent) on the total (gross) value of your donation to Solihull Hebrew Congregation. For example, if you donate £100, the total value of your donation to the charity is £125 - so you can claim back 20 per cent of this (£25) for yourself. You can make this claim on your Self Assessment tax return if you were sent one.

Tax relief can be claimed by completing the relevant section on your Self Assessment Tax Return form. If you don’t complete a self assessment form, but receive Form P810 from the Inland Revenue, this can be used to declare any gift aid payments. Alternatively you can claim the relief by writing to your tax office, giving full details of the gift(s) you have made.

Donating Shares

Making a gift of shares can be a highly tax effective way of supporting Solihull Hebrew Congregation.

By giving shares, it is possible to make a substantial tax saving, not only on capital gains tax, but on income tax as well.

Twelve million people own shares in the UK, worth over £200 billion. This area of giving is often overlooked, but by unlocking your capital and passing it on you can turn it into something of great value to Solihull Hebrew Congregation and substantially lower the cost to yourself at the same time.

In order to qualify for the tax relief, the shares or securities must be; listed or dealt on a recognised UK or foreign stock exchange, units in authorised unit trusts, shares in a UK open-ended investment company or holdings in certain foreign collective investment schemes.

The Stanley Middleburgh Library

The Stanley Middleburgh library contains over 1600 books and periodicals on a wide range of topics from Israel to Jewish History, from novels to biographies. There are books suitable for all ages, from toddler to adult. The library also has a collection of over 300 videos and DVDs on a variety of topics for both young and old. All members of the community are welcome to come and browse through our collection.

The library has recently been reorganised and sorted into categories to make it easier to locate the book that you require.

Opening Hours By appointment only

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Page 41 Your Moment. Your Legacy. Your Shul.

This is your moment to hold hands across the generations. This is your moment to ensure a Jewish future that is spiritual and meaningful. This is your moment to leave a Jewish legacy.

Solihull Shul has been at the forefront of building the Jewish community in Solihull. Today we operate a Shul and Community Centre with a wide variety of religious, cultural and educational activities for all ages.

Now it is your turn to lead us forward.

Planned Giving builds Judaism where it is needed most, in your local community. From young to old, visiting the sick or comforting the poor, this is your moment to make a difference. Join with us through the loving act of planned giving by leading your community to a strong and vibrant future. This is your Moment.

More about the tax benefits of leaving a Legacy to charity

Charity Legacies are exempt from tax and there is no upper limit on the value of the Legacy you leave. Legacies are therefore a very efficient way of supporting your favourite Jewish charities because the Government is encouraging your generosity by adding funds from central funds.

You may leave as much as you like, entirely tax-free to a spouse, civil partner or UK registered charity. You may also leave up to £325,000 to any other beneficiary or beneficiaries. Over and above that, Inheritance Tax (IHT) is then applicable on the remainder of your Estate at flat rate of 40%. However, if you leave a Legacy to charity, that Legacy is deducted from your Estate before it is taxed, thereby lowering the amount of IHT that will be payable. In addition, as from April 2012, if you leave 10% or more of your taxable estate to charity not only will the Legacy be deducted before tax is calculated, the tax rate will be reduced from 40% to 36%. This is the Government’s way of encouraging more of us to give to charity and for us also to increase existing charity Legacies to the crucial 10% level; they want to make giving 10% of one’s Estate to charity “the new norm in our country”.

This might not seem much of a reduction, but the combination of the charity exemption from IHT and the new relief means that a charity Legacy could now ‘cost’ your family just 24% of its value, compared to 60% previously. £7,600 out of a £10,000 Legacy to charity could now be funded by the Government. This means that the cost to your loved ones of a £10,000 Legacy could be as little as £2,400, making charitable Legacies considerably more affordable, as well as of significant benefit to the causes that are close to your heart. This reduced tax rate will help to encourage more members of the Jewish community to leave Legacy gifts to charity, and for those who have already done so, to consider increasing those Legacies, potentially at no additional cost to their family – a real ‘win-win’ situation.

Allow us to work with you, your family, and if desired your financial advisor, to develop the most personalised strategy for your goals. For more information contact us.

Solihull Hebrew Congregation Legacies 3 Monastery Drive, Solihull, B91 1DW

[email protected]

Page 42 Shabbat Times

Date Shabbat Shabbat Begins Ends

Sedra (Friday) (Saturday)

Vayishlach 5th December 3.38 pm 4.50 pm Vayeshev 12th December 3.35 pm 4.59 pm Miketz 19th December 3.36 pm 4.50 pm Vayigash 26th December 3.40 pm 4.54 pm Vayechi 2nd January 3.46 pm 5.00 pm Shemos 9th January 3.55 pm 5.09 pm Vaeirah 16th January 4.05 pm 5.18 pm Bo 23rd January 4.17 pm 5.29 pm Beshalach 30th January 4.30 pm 5.41 pm Yisro 6th February 4.43 pm 5.53 pm Mishpotim 13th February 4.56 pm 6.05 pm Terumah 20th February 5.09 pm 6.17 pm Tezatveh 27th February 5.22 pm 6.30 pm Ki Sisa 6th March 5.36 pm 6.43 pm

Page 43 Jewish Humour

Admiring the Christmas trees displayed in his neighbour’s 88 year old Moshe went to see his financial advisor. windows, Nathan asks his father, ‘Daddy, can we have a “So, what do you think is an appropriate investment for bush?’ me?” asked Moshe. ‘What? No, of course not.’ says his father. “Well”, replied the advisor “I have found a terrific ‘Why not?’ asks Nathan again. investment that will double your money in five years.” A little agitated, his father replies, ‘Well, Nathan, the “Are you crazy?” said Moshe. “A five year investment? last time we had dealings with a bush that was lit up, we Why, at my age I don’t even buy green bananas.” spent 40 years in the wilderness.’ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 Ladies die. A Christian lady, A Catholic lady and a A guy bought his wife a beautiful diamond ring for Jewish Lady. Chanukah. When they are met at the gates of heaven, they are met After hearing about this extravagant gift, a friend of his by St Peter. says, “I thought she wanted one of those sporty four- He says to the Christian lady, “You have been a good wheel-drive vehicles.” Christian lady, taking your children to Church regularly. “She did,” he replies. “But where was I going to find a Go along the corridor and turn left into the first room, fake Jeep?” number 1, and there you will meet G-d.” St Peter then speaks to the Catholic lady and says,” You ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ have been a good Catholic lady, taking your family to mass regularly. Ariel took latkes to school for lunch during Hanukkah. Go along the corridor and turn left into the first room, “These,” he told his friend Daniel, “are what makes Jews number 1, and there you will meet G-D. so smart.” St Peter then turns to the Jewish lady and says, “You have “Let me try one then,” said Daniel. “Tell you what, I’ll been a good Jewish lady, taking your family regularly to sell you one for $5,” said Ariel. Synagogue and have always kept a Kosher home. So Daniel gave him $5 and then bit into the . “Hey, Go along the corridor and turn right into room 2.” there’s nothing special about this!” he exclaimed. The Jewish lady says,” How come the other 2 ladies went “It must be working already,” said Ariel. left into room 1, to see G-D, and you’ve told me to go The prospective groom is in a tizzy. “You told me that into room 2 on the right. this girl was a picture, something unusual, a regular Why aren’t I going into to room 1 to see G-D.” beauty. So when I saw her last night, what did I see? St Peter, turns to her and says,” Well you want to have One ear is larger than the other and higher too. The eyes your hair done first, don’t you.” are crossed, the nose is crooked, and one side of her face droops. A real monstrosity.” “All right, all right,” says the shadchen. “I see already. You don’t like Picasso!”

Page 4431 Ask The Rabbi???

Question: The shammash serves as a lesson to What Is a Shammash? educators and leaders everywhere. The Answer: shammash is not a mitzvah candle. Yet, it A Chanukah menorah has eight lights. The is important because it shammash – the “attendant” candle that is used is the instrument that to kindle the other lights – is set apart from enables all the other candles to form a mitzvah. the other candles (often higher or lower), on the ninth branch of the menorah. Many Jews Each of us has the potential to be a shammash. have a tradition to use a beeswax candle for the We all have a responsibility to become teachers shammash. and impact the lives of others. Just as the shammash is usually placed above the other Though the shammash’s primary function has candles, a person who serves others, a teacher, been served once the candles have been lit, we becomes great because he or she is using a set of don’t extinguish the shammash. Instead, we set superior skills to make others great too. it in its place adjacent to the other lights, ready to “serve” in case a candle blows out. Another Following the shammash, the path to elevation reason why we leave the shammash lit is because is not through pushing others down, but by it is forbidden to use the Chanukah lights for any sharing with them and coaxing out the flame practical reason. This way, if a candle is needed, they carry within. the shammash is available for use, preserving the sanctity of the mitzvah lights.

Learning From the Shammash

For the latest community updates visit https://www.facebook.com/solihullshul

If you have some news that you would like publicised on the Shul Facebook page contact [email protected]

Page 45 Solihull & District Hebrew Congregation Wish List How Can I Best Help SDHC Today?

Revenue Items Capital Items

Sponsor Regular Shabbat Morning Kiddush Secure External Letterbox Cost: £30.00 Cost: £125.00

Sponsor SDHC’s Yom Kippur Break Fast Refreshments Paved Path from gate to main entrance Cost: £150 Cost: £2,000

Sponsor SDHC’s Rosh Hashona Honey Cake Refurbish Toilet Area Cost: £150 Cost: £15,000

Sponsor SDHC’s Annual Sukkot Party Commercial Dish Washer - Milk Kitchen Cost: £250 Cost: £1,800

Sponsor SDHC’s Annual Chanukah Party New furniture for the Shul. Cost: £250 Cost: £18,000

Sponsor SDHC’s Annual Purim Party Resurface part of Carpark Cost: £250 Cost £12,000

Sponsor SDHC’s Website & Internet Facilities Cold Store Cost: £30 per month; £360 per year Cost: £18,000

Sponsor One Issue of Hakol Combi Oven Cost: £100 Cost £13,000

Defray Cost of SDHC’s Gas and Electricity Refurbish Disabled Toilet & Cloak Room Cost: £150 per week Cost £8,000

Defray Landscaping and Building Maintenance Upgrade Fire Alarm System Cost: £100 per week Cost: £3,500

Defray Cost of TBE’s Insurance Premiums Retractable Canopy Roof for Sukkah £300 per month Cost: £3000.00

Milk Kitchen Equipment New Crockery Cost £950.00

10 Litre Commercial Dough Mixer Cost: £850.00

Special Naming Opportunities Parts of our Community Centre are available to be permanently named in honour of a donor or person of the donor’s choosing. Communal Hall £15,000 Milk Kitchen £5,000 Lobby/Kiddush Area £7,500 Meat Kitchen £5,000

Page 46 Free Tefillin Health check

Tefillin need regular checkups to ensure that the scrolls have not faded or cracked.

Straps need repainting regularly to ensure that the paint is in good condition.

Boxes can be damaged by extremes of heat, cold or moisture.

For a free health check and report on the condition of your tefillin contact Rabbi Pink

Do you get tangled in knots trying to put on your tefillin?

Page 47 Solihull Academy of Jewish Education Jewish Learning for Life

Whatever your skill level

Whenever you have free time

A variety of topics, times of the week and levels to suit all tastes.

If you would prefer a one to one learning experience a variety of slots are available to study the topic of your choice at a time convenient to you.

Contact Rabbi Pink to set up a learning session today.

All study sessions are currently taking place over Zoom

Page 48 LSD & BLT Every Sunday at 9.30 am

Lets start Davening followed by Bagels, Lox (Sorry you need to supply your own) and Torah ON ZOOM

Page 49 Do you enjoy advanced Torah Study? Come along to the Halocha Shiur Sunday evening at 7.30 pm and delve into the intricacies of Jewish Law

ON ZOOM

Page 50 Does Judaism leave you feeling Bored? Confused? Turned off? Try Out

Solihull Monday Informative LEcture Series

Discussions on topics of Contemporary Jewish Interest with Rabbi Yehuda Pink

Every Monday Evening 8.30 pm Via Zoom

For more information contact Rabbi Yehuda Pink on 0121 706 8736 [email protected]

Page 51 Do you have free time on a Tuesday morning? Are you looking to expand your knowledge of Judaism?

Come along to the Gentlemen’s Shiur Tuesday 11.00 am - 12.00 pm Via Zoom

Page 52 Enjoy a good cup of coffee and take the chance to ask all those questions about judaism you never dared to ask

Ladies Discussion Group With Rabbi Pink Every Wednesday 11.00 am - 12.00 pm Via ZOOM Come along to the Retired Gentlemen’s Shiur Wednesday 11.00 am - 12.00 pm

Page 54 ,hrcg hrcusk sjuhn rugha

7.30 - 8.30 crgc hghcr ouh ouzc ,usvh ka vbuntv hrehg

kfk ,ucua, kcek ,ubnszv kutak ,zgv tku ,gsk ,hmra vn

Page 55 Text Based Talmud Shiur (No prior knowledge required)

Saturday Evening - 7.30 - 8.30 pm

ON ZOOM

Page 56 What: Join Rebbetzen Dinie Pink and bake Challos for your Shabbos table and pass one on to another member of the community.

Discover the beauty of this tradition unique to Jewish Women.

When: 6.30 pm The first Thursday of each month.

Where: Solihull Jewish Community Centre, 3 Monastery Drive, Solihull, B91 1DW

Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Now fully stocked with a wide range of Chanukah items

• Menorahs… • Machzorim… • Dreidles… • Siddurim… • Chocolate Chanukah • Jewish Books… Gelt… • Haggadahs... • Chanukah Candles... • Megillahs... • Chanukah Bags...

• Cards for all Occasions… • Jewish Childrens Toys… • Books, Videos and CD’s… • Havdolah Candles… • Shabbos Candles… • Yarzeit Candles… Open by appointment only.

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