From the Rabbi's Desk

It began with a facebook post. Someone asking where one can find Chanukah candles in Petaluma.

Sometimes it can seem as though the rest of the world is oblivious to this holiday that is so centralin our lives. Someone mentioned that she had been in a supermarket yesterday, and was told "sure we have Jewish stuff. There's Matzah on aisle 15".

Have you tried finding a roll of Chanukah wrapping paper? Holidays must-haves have become novelty items or totally MIA.

The truth is that this is the story of the Maccabees. The miracle of Chanukah is not only that the oil burned for 8 days instead of one. It is also that they searched for that flask of oil without knowing that it was there. They refused to accept the reality of darkness, and instead pursued light.

When the lights are all turned on, you may not appreciate that single light bulb, with its message of brightness and positivity. When the shelves are stocked with our favorite latkes and jelly doughnuts, we may not treasure the goodness in our lives. When a flame is lit in a dark room, the light is that much stronger. It is significant and meaningful.

Sure, in Jerusalem you can find Chanukah candles in every shape and size. But to do it in Petaluma is to tap into the consciousness of the Maccabees. It means to refuse to settle for less. The darkness that surrounds us is only as powerful as the missing flame.

A little bit of light can chase away a whole lot of darkness.

Happy searching!

Chanukah begins tomorrow night (Saturday). If you or someone you know is in need of candles or a Menorah, please let us know so that every home can shine.

Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Dovid Bush

The Children of Israel. That's us, right? But who is Israel?

It dates back to the story from this week's Torah reading when Jacob wrestles with Esau's guardian angel and emerges victorious. Jacob refuses to let the angel depart until he receives a blessing. So the Angel gives him a new name, Israel, which means victory over G-d(s angel).

Looking at it from a Kabbalistic point of view, what emerge are two modes of dealing with challenge.

Jacob struggles, he has to fight his way through the battles of life, the treachery of Laban, escape his brother's murderous intentions. There is no more engaged form of combat than wrestling. It is taking the challenges of life head-on. It's the Soul grappling with the body trying to find and inspire a higher form of living.

The Israel tactic is to rise above. Ascending to a spot where the opposition can't oppose, where the challenge ceases to exist. It's like using your phone while it's connected to the charger. Driving a car with a built-in gas supply.

While this type of connection is always technically available, practically however, as we move through life, we find ourselves mostly identifying with Jacob. It's a grind, a  fight for our values, an uphill battle.

But knowing that we are the Children of Israel, that we have that tether in place, that deep down we have an energy pack that can't be depleted, this energizes us as we take on the world.

If regular day-to-day life is the struggle of Jacob, Shabbat is the charging station of Israel. It is the inspiration and power to navigate the week ahead.

Chanukah is one of those moments when the light shines bright and the darkness vanishes. Please join us on Chanukah as we kindle the lights of Menorah, illuminating the dark, in the world and within our own lives.

The coldest morning of the year. On Wednesday, it was 28 degrees outside, and not much warmer inside. Our heating system decided that it was an opportune time to take a break.

So there I'm standing, bundled up in a sweater and a jacket (after spending time in Montreal and Ukraine, you'd think I'd be used to the cold), trying to analyze the furnace. It's a fascinating machine featuring flamethrower style elements that are set in motion by a series of triggers. Except that on this frigid morning, the metal remained cold, apathetic to our bone-chilling predicament.

After several YouTube videos and online do-it-yourself manuals failed to coax the heater into working mode, it was time to call in a pro. With such a drastic effect, I was sure that it would be a major component of the heater, like the ignitor, that would need to be replaced.

The verdict? The connection of a wire (yes, a simple wire!) had become eroded over the years. Simply applying pressure to the wire, reestablishing the connection, brought the entire complex system humming back to life.

Winter (as much as we have it here) reminds us to check our internal heating systems. If things get cold in our life, where you're just not feeling it, be it in a relationship or in continuing on our rich traditions, it's time to examine the connections. To make sure that the energy and passion are plugged in.

And the beautiful thing is the contrast. When the heat finally does come on, when you step into the ski lodge, when the electricity comes on after a blackout, that is when you come to appreciate the warmth and vitality that had always been there.

This is the message of Chanukah - the power of a flame kindled on the darkest winter nights.

Please join us this Chanukah season as we celebrate and appreciate connection and warmth. The connection to our heritage. The warmth of community. And the promise of the future.

Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Dovid Bush