by Avi West.

It is a new tradition at Chanukah to give gifts.  The real tradition was that it was a time to give out coins (gelt), because coinage was a sign of autonomy and freedom.  When the Maccabees rededicated the Temple in Jerusalem, they also minted coins with pictures of their Chanukah heroes and words that celebrated their values, as opposed to those of the Hellenists.  Today we can add to this tradition by using coins to help bring freedom and autonomy to people in need.

Ner Shel Tzedakah (“Candle of Righteousness”) is a project founded by the Reform movement, in which families and individuals devote the 6th night of Chanukah to learning about and addressing the problem of poverty. This very new tradition suggests donating the value of the gifts (or the gifts themselves) that would otherwise be exchanged on that night to organizations that assist the poor. Making donations on the sixth night of Chanukah will help the candle of righteousness glow brightly for those in need.

December is a time when many traditions are celebrating miracles and lighting lights, perhaps even in one family.  Lighting the Candle of Righteousness is one activity that every group can participate in with full joy and commitment.  It may be interesting to note the difference between the word charity, coming from the Latin root caritas, meaning feelings of love and regard, and the Hebrew word Tzedakah, with its root meaning of justice and the obligation to do the right thing regardless of feelings.

If you are in an interfaith family, either nuclear or extended, or will be hosting non-Jews at your Chanukah celebration, turn the potential “December dilemma” into a “Season of Opportunity” by reading the resources here. If you are hosting family or friends with young children (or the young at heart), you may want to click here for engaging games and activities that illustrate important Chanukah themes of strength, harmony, values worth a gamble, and the passing on of traditions.

The holiday name Chanukah means both dedication and education.  Tonight, invite friends over and challenge them to build the most innovative designed Tzedakah box.  You and your “Chanukah Hero” friends can dedicate the next four months to collecting coins.  During this time, educate yourself about the needs in your community and the organizations that help meet those needs. 

By Purim (March 8th) you should have enough coins to shake and make noise to drown out Haman’s name.  Invite back the same friends for a Purim party, pool everybody’s coins (see how the impact is greater when a community gathers to help?), and decide on worthwhile non-profit organizations  to be recipients of your guilt-free-gelt.  Another Chanukah Heroes reunion opportunity will be on March 25th, when our community will join with compassionate Jewish communities around the world for Good Deeds Day.

For other ways to “repair the world” through economic justice, click here. To dedicate some of your time to service see the opportunities on Jconnect's volunteer page. To educate yourself about the benefits of service learning see Partnership for Jewish Life and Learning's Service Learning page.