Welcome to Issue 4 of The Voices & Visions Star. In this edition:

A Hanukkah Teaching from Voices & Visions
A Hanukkah Challenge for Your Students/Colleagues
The Many Uses of Voices & Visions
Engagement through Art: Ready-Made Posters
More from HGF: Hanukkah and Tzedakah
Hanukkah Shopping

A happy Hanukkah from Voices & Visions!

A Hanukkah Teaching from Voices & Visions

Why is Hanukkah eight days?

If we celebrate the miracle of oil, and there was enough oil for just one day, then the first day was no miracle at all - and we should be celebrating seven days of Hanukkah.

Nachmanides replies: There are miracles we can see, and miracles we can't see. The seven days represent the miracles of the unseen, the spiritual and metaphysical. But the first day represents the miracle of the seen, the physical, what is around us every day which we take for granted -- like the fact that a candle burns at all!

On Hanukkah we celebrate both kinds of miracles.

"A miracle cannot prove what is impossible. It only confirms what is possible ." - Maimonides

A Hanukkah Challenge for Your Students/Colleagues

Hang one of these two posters on a wall or in the lobby. Write next to it:

על הנסים ועל הפורקן ועל הגבורות

Al hanisim ve'al hapurkan ve'al hagevurot

For the miracles, salvation and BRAVERY

(from the Hanukkah liturgy)

THIS WINTER...

WHAT RISK WILL YOU TAKE?

WHAT'S SOMETHING NEW YOU WILL TRY?

HOW WILL YOU LEAD AND NOT JUST FOLLOW?

"Most of the things worth doing in the world were declared impossible before they were done." - Louis Brandeis

"The heroic hours of life do not announce their presence by drum and trumpet." - Benjamin Cardozo

The Many Uses of Voices & Visions

At Confirmation services in Louisiana...

The Confirmation class at Temple Gates of Prayer in Metairie, LA studied Voices & Visions posters, and then each Confirmand selected one quotation as the starting point for their Confirmation speech.

On a Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles...

The Florence Melton School in Los Angeles held a "Cocktails and Art Show", in which Melton faculty members discussed the ideas represented in Voices & Visions posters.

At faculty meetings in Bloomfield, New Jersey...

The Director of Education of Temple Ner David used a different poster as the basis for text study at each of their faculty meetings.

On a road trip across the U.S....

The Conservative Movement's USY On Wheels program used Voices & Visions posters throughout the summer as an informal education tool.

Masters Series exhibit at Congregation Emanuel in Victoria,

British Columbia, the oldest synagogue in the Pacific Northwest

See more inspiring examples, and share your own, in our FORUM.

Engagement through Art: Ready-Made Posters

At Boston Hebrew College's Fifth Annual Conference in Early Childhood Education Voices & Visions led a workshop called "Engagement through Art: Ready-Made Posters", exploring the use of Voices & Visions posters as ice-breakers, staff training tool, and trigger for small-group conversations on dignity, tolerance, community, Gemilut Hasadim, and other values.

Voices & Visions Director Madeline Calabrese pointed out: "These artists have cast your favorite Jewish quotes into a new setting that may jar your sense of 'familiar'. That is exactly their intention. Whether you are a scholar or unaffiliated, an art expert or can't draw, there is a point of entrance for everyone."

Participant Susie Rodenstein gave this feedback: "I work with many Jewish educators across the country. I would love to make them aware of this wonderful tool and its many potential uses."

More from HGF: Hanukkah and Tzedakah

It's Hanukkah time! During the darkest month of the year, Jews from around the globe brighten the world by lighting the Menorah.

This season PJ Library founder Harold Grinspoon will be sending a special gift to 260,000 PJ Library children (both present and alumni subscribers). Harold shares, "It is my hope this gift will encourage PJ Library families to create a special family time to embrace Tzedakah and to have a lot of fun with the surprise inside the gift." We hope you will use it to make a difference!

Wishing your family a bright Hanukkah filled with light, music and Tzedakah.

Hanukkah Shopping

Voices & Visions products make special Hanukkah gifts. Choose from

poster sets, notecards and tote bags available in our online SHOP.

And in the giving spirit---

Your ideas for using Masters Series posters may be

just what others need! Share them with us.