Due to the peculiarities of the Jewish calendar, the minor festival of lights known as Hanukkah can be any time between mid-November and late December.

This year, Hanukkah and Christmas happen to fall in the same week, coming at the darkest time of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, where both holidays originated.

Hanukkah is an interesting holiday, inflated in North America beyond its intrinsic importance by its coincidental proximity to such a major event in the dominant culture. Originally established as a celebration of a military victory over overwhelming odds, its major feature now is the lighting of the hanukkiah, the eight-armed candelabra that every Jewish family is required to put in a window, to publicise the miraculous story of a small bottle of oil that lasted for eight days. Check out that fascinating story here.

It is undoubtedly no coincidence that we are invited to share this light, and the story of our miraculous salvation, at a time when everything is dark and cold, even in Israel, let alone in Canada. Many people are depressed at this time – the winter blues are definitely a real thing. As the transition to a new year approaches, people tend to reflect on the previous year, and often beat themselves up over everything they had intended to do, but never did, or projects they had started, but didn’t complete.

It is estimated that only about 8% of people fulfil their New Year’s resolutions, meaning that most of us end the year disappointed in ourselves.

Shining a light in the window can be a beacon of hope – that life can be better, that we can make changes and find solace and forgiveness.

In this week of dark nights, may we all find our way towards warmth, love and light. We are all worthy of a better life.