Next Study Session,

If you missed the first session of Beth David's new Mussar Study Group (attended by over 30 people!), it is not too late to join. The group will be meeting monthly, and the next meeting will be Sunday, December 14 at 7:30pm at Beth David.

For more information and for the next study guides, contact Rabbi Adler at 860-236-1241 or click here or Len Felson at lfelson@gmail.com.

Chanukah Primer

What is Chanukah? The Hebrew word Chanukah means "dedication." In the 2nd century BCE, the Syrian-Greek regime of Antiochus sought to pull Jews away from Judaism, with the hopes of assimilating them into Hellenism -- Greek culture. Antiochus outlawed aspects of Jewish observance -- including the study of Torah -- which began to decay the foundation of Jewish life and practice. During this period, many of the Jews began to assimilate into Greek culture. In response, a band of Jewish settlers took to the hills of Judea in open revolt against this threat to Jewish life. Led by Matitiyahu, and later his son Judah the Maccabee ("The Hammer"), this small band led guerrilla warfare against the Syrian army. Antiochus sent thousands of well-armed troops to crush the rebellion -- but the Maccabees prevailed. Jewish patriots entered Jerusalem in the winter of 164 BCE. The Holy Temple was in shambles, defiled and desecrated. They cleansed the Temple and re-dedicated it on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev. When it came time to re-light the Menorah, they searched the entire Temple, but only one small jar of oil bearing the seal of the High Priest could be found. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, until a new supply of oil could be secured. From then on, Jews have observed a holiday for eight days in honor of this historic victory and the miracle of the oil. Today, the observance of Chanukah features the nightly lighting of a special Chanukah menorah, adding one new candle each night. Other customs include playing games with the dreidel (a top with Hebrew letters on the sides), eating holiday delicacies like potato latkes (pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly donuts), and the distribution of charity.

Why 8 Days? The world was created in seven days, there are seven notes in the musical scale, and seven days of the week. The number seven represents the physical world that we can touch and smell and feel. The number eight, on the other hand, transcends the natural world.

The Greeks had a particular dislike of the mitzvah of Brit Milah, the circumcision of a baby boy on the eighth day after his birth. Circumcision offended the Greek idea of perfection of the human body. Public nudity was accepted in Greek society because every "body" was another piece of art. To the Greeks, circumcision was mutilation of a masterpiece, like spraying graffiti on a mural.To the Jew, Brit Milah is one of the most essential expressions of Jewish identity. A human being can only achieve its greatest beauty if affected by a relationship with God. The perfectly sculpted human recognizes and embraces the reality of a transcendent soul.The days of Chanukah are eight days of transcendence, days of opportunity to look both within ourselves and beyond, to sense that there is far more to our existence than the world of nature could ever contain. The Greeks detested Brit Milah because of its "eight-ness," because it represents transcendence. The miracle of the oil lasted for eight days as a reminder that Jewish life is hewn from the "Rock" of transcendence.

Halachic Highlights The lighting of the first candle will be Tuesday night, December 16, anytime after 5:00pm. On Friday night, the Chanukah candles are lit before the lighting of Shabbat candles. On Saturday night, Chanukah candles are kindled after Havdallah.

 

Mazel Tov to Harvey and Ellen Sprung on the birth of a granddaughter, Jenna Isabel, born to Seth and Amy Locke.

Mazel Tov to Aaron and Fanny Cohen on the marriage of their son Jack to Calanit Paz.

Mazel Tov to Harry and Robyn Weller on the engagement of their daughter Elayna to Mark Kaye.

Mazel Tov to Steven and Francine Stier on their son Michael receiving a certificate of recognition from the state of Massachusetts.

Mazel Tov to Ron and Judy Friedman on the birth of a granddaughter, Tali Aleeza, born to Jake and Einav Friedman.

Condolences to Robyn Weller and family on the passing of Robyn's beloved mother Leatrice Etelis.

Condolences to Alberto, Jacob and Natan Cohen on the passing of their beloved wife and mother Tammy. 

Happy Birthday       

Sima Gutman	December 2
Robert Kalmar	December 4
Serena Feingold	December 5
Noah Gelber	December 5
Abraham Anavim	December 7
Grigory Malakh	December 9
Daniel Braune-Friedman	December 9
Michael Drescher	December 10
Alex Jacobson	December 10
Ari Klau	December 10
Svetlana Veprinsky	December 10
Robin Gold	December 10
Michael Selinger	December 12
Rebecca Stambler	December 13
Yitzchok Adler	December 16
Nathan Hyman Schachter	December 18
Michael Gutman	December 19
Tsiporah Leah Lomasky	December 20
Martin Freilich	December 21
Masha Stambler	December 21
Fanny Cohen	December 22
Rachel Fiedler	December 22
Ronen Elefant	December 23
Benjamin Cooper	December 24
Rebecca Allen	December 25
Kara Weinstein	December 25
Lauren Beslow	December 26
Rebecca Fried	December 28
Rabbi Stuart Snyder	December 28
Daniel Klau	December 29
Miriam Klau	December 29
Naomi Cohen	December 31
Natan Cohen	December 31

Happy Anniversary

 "Where coming to shul is like coming home."