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Tuesday, December 4, 2007

H p p y C h n k h

Tonight is the first night of CHANNUKAH. There has been so much tumult the past few weeks pertaining to the Annapolis Summit, and CHANNUKAH commences earlier than usual (by the common calendar), that one may feel as though CHANNUKAH has crept up upon oneself and taken oneself by surprise. One may not even feel ready for CHANNUKAH. Yet, CHANNUKAH is here! CHANNUKAH in a sense is always here, as there has been an ongoing civil war between Torah Judaism and Greco-Judaism since the time of the MACCABEES. Our own individual hearts and minds may be torn between the call of each of these, just as our families may be torn between each of these. In our exile (which could also be spelled exhile), that is to say, in our GALUT, most of us are torn between the maelstrom of surviving in our respective host culture, while attempting to maintain our Judaism. It is never easy. However, concerned as we are about our own individual lives this CHANNUKAH, let us take a few moments, when we light our candles, to keep in mind the captive ISRAELI SOLDIERS, the unending rocketing of SDEROT, and the allignment of the world to isolate, shrink, and destroy ISRAEL. Just as it was the MACCABEES then, who defeated the Seleucids (Greco-Syrians), and who re-established the KEDUSHA of the BETH HAMIKDASH, may ISRAEL and JEWS everywhere be positively infected with the spirit of the MACCABEES, today, this holiday, in our time... may MASHIACH come, unite ISRAEL, and make ISRAEL One and inviolable. AND LET US SAY "AMEN".