Bringing God into - Hanuka

Sometimes Hanuka becomes a kid's holiday - even for adults. What's there to do? Light candles, spin a dreidle, and eat sufganiyot (jelly donuts) or latkes. For someone who would like to make these 8 days a deeper experience - Ayeka is offering several activities we have used to evoke the deeper, more spiritual side of Hanuka.  

Below are a number of options - from the least risky to the most daring. The ideas cover a range of activities - including talking, writing, drawing, and playing with clay. Ideally these activities would be used after candle-lighting, when we are still basking in the glow of the Hanuka lights.

• Sharing Personal Miracles: After candle-lighting our family invites one of the kids or guests to share a personal miracle they have experienced. We don't often talk about things like this in public. Last year one of our guests shared a moment which profoundly deepened our connection with her.
  
  
• Connection to Hanuka: Hanuka commemorates the miracle of the oil. We recite over the candles a blessing recognizing the historical miracles of 'then' alongside the historic miracles of today.

• Personal Light: Give everyone a piece of paper and crayons or colored pencils. Ask them to think of and then draw in a modern abstract way:
• Who gives them light?
• To whom do they give light?
  
  
• Connection to Hanuka: Hanuka is referred to as "Chag Ha'Urim" (the Holiday of Lights). The miracle of the oil burning for 8 days is about giving light. It occurs, not uncoincidentally, during the darkest time of the year.

• Candle focus: Light a candle in the middle of the room, then turn off the lights. Ask everyone to simply look at the candle (in silence) for 2 minutes. Then ask everyone to write whatever the light of the candle evoked for them.

• Guided Imagery: Several years ago we gave each of the kids some clay and asked them to close their eyes during the following guided imagery: "Imagine walking into a (or your) synagogue. It is completely quiet and dark. Then you see one tiny beam of light. You walk into the synagogue, looking for the source of the light. It is coming from the ark. You open the ark and see that it is coming from inside a Torah scroll. You roll open the Torah - from the very beginning to the end - and 'bingo' you see the story or idea or line which is the source of the light. This is your 'light' in the Torah. What did you see? What part of the Torah gives you light?

• Now take the clay and form (however you want) what gives you light in the Torah.

At Ayeka we continually return to our basic question of "Ayeka" Where am I during this holiday?

• Where are you - in what ways and with whom can you be more present during your celebration of Hanuka?
• How will this year's Hanuka impact your life?
• In what ways would you like this Hanuka to be different from last year?
• How can you bring God back to your own experience of Hanuka?

Please write to us if you have additional ideas, and if any activities you have experienced have deepened your Hanuka.