Uh-oh; there's a Chanukah menorah here in the social hall. One of you must have left it here last night while lighting with all who joined us for the Chanukah party. Please contact me so that you can retrieve your menorah. Nobody wants to lose an important object. In fact returning missing items is an important part of Jewish law, dating back to the Torah itself. Missing items must be returned out of respect to the original owner. Since all people are to be treated with respect, all missing objects are to be returned whenever possible.
By the way, it’s the 7th night of Chanukah. We have spoken of the beauty of light, of the Messiah’s arrival, of recognizing our soldiers, the importance of singing and celebrating and the essential need of remembering the value of dedication. What is missing from this week’s series of Chanukah messages? What could round out Chanukah for 5778? To attend to people who are not here. There are people who are missing from our community mindset- people who may be unable to attend gatherings for a variety of reasons or people who may not be able to light candles because they cannot afford them. Tonight we pledge to incorporate Tzedakah into our Chanukah awareness. Tzedakah comes in many forms. Reach out to someone whom you have not seen recently. Make a visit or a phone call or invite someone to join you for a meal. Offer a Chanukah donation to a Jewish organization. Without our thinking of others who are ‘missing’ from our lives, our tables ,our Shul, we will not be able to return to whom we truly are.
*An inspirational fund which does amazing work is the Good People Fund.
Please click on the following link. Scroll through the link for 5 minutes and you will be blown away by the caring people changing our world.
Please consider making a Chanukah gift to the world.
https://www.goodpeoplefund.org/personal-giving-tikkun-olam/program-area/
Our tzedakah will support Animal- Assisted therapy, children with cancer, caregivers who deal with loved ones suffering with Dementia, 40 different programs fighting Hunger in USA and Israel, the list goes on and on….
May this Chanukah add light and meaning to our upcoming 2018. May we make 2018 a year of 2000 + Chai.
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