Hanukkah is a holiday of rededication — a moment when, after violence and desecration, our ancestors chose renewal and hope.
This year, as the Israel-Hamas war shifts into a ceasefire and hostages return home, we face our own moment of rededication. We are called to recommit ourselves to peace, justice, safety and dignity for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Each night, we are proud to feature one core area of work J Street is advancing — in Congress, on campus, in our communities and in U.S. policy. We ask you to join us in rededicating ourselves and our communities to this important work. Together, we add light.
The return of hostages brings relief and profound grief. Their stories remind us that to move forward, trauma must be addressed and that people — families, communities — must be centered as healing begins.
Highlight:Tonight we shine our light on J Street’s work with the hostage families and returned hostages, honoring their resilience and humanity over these last two years.
Read and Share → Join J Street in supporting returned hostages and their families. Share there stories with your family, friends and community https://stories.bringthemhomenow.net/
Extremist settler attacks in the West Bank have surged, threatening Palestinian communities and harming Israel’s security. Breaking the cycle requires accountability.
Highlight: Tonight we shine our light on J Street’s Policy Framework for the West Bank and a Future Palestinian State, sanctioning individuals responsible for attacks on civilians.
Contact Congress → Tell the Senate: Stop Settler Violence Now!
On campuses nationwide, young Jews are seeking honest, values-driven engagement around Israel and Palestine — often in deeply polarized environments.
Highlight: Tonight we shine our light on J Street U, the student organizing arm that equips college students to organize, advocate and build a more just and democratic future.
Help Build J Street U → Encourage students you know to join J Street U and amplify their leadership in your community. For more information on J Street U contact us here.
Tonight we rededicate ourselves to the work of safeguarding democracy — in the United States, in Israel, and everywhere it is under strain.
A just and lasting peace depends on strong democratic institutions, respect for the rule of law, and leaders who are accountable to the people they serve. Around the world, authoritarian forces threaten those values. Our movement stands firmly on the side of democracy, equality and civil liberties.
Highlight: Tonight we shine our light on J Street’s nationwide organizing to defend democratic norms, combat authoritarianism, and ensure that U.S. foreign policy reflects democratic values and human rights.
Take Action → Explore J Street’s Pro-Democracy To-Do List and commit to steps you can take to strengthen our democratic institutions and to protect our rights and values.
Many feel pressure to adopt oversimplified narratives. Real change requires space for nuance, moral courage and principled conversation. It is time for the Jewish community to broaden the discourse on Israel and Zionism.
Highlight: Tonight we shine our light on the clergy and community leaders who are speaking up. Read more from Jeremy Ben-Ami about the importance of nuanced dialogue in his recent Word on the Street, and check out Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove’s message at the recent AZM convening.
Model Civil Dialogue in Your Community → Host or join a study group, share J Street resources and model conversations grounded in empathy and integrity. Sign up here to learn more and get involved!
Tonight we rededicate ourselves to strengthening the leaders who champion diplomacy, human rights and a negotiated resolution that ensures security, freedom and dignity for both Israelis and Palestinians.
Highlight: Tonight we shine our light on JStreetPAC. A lasting peace requires elected officials willing to choose courage over cynicism and solutions over political expedience. JStreetPAC helps elect candidates who stand firmly for restraint, accountability and a political path out of endless conflict.
Take Action → Support the candidates endorsed by JStreetPAC
True peace requires universal human rights. Safety for one people cannot come at the expense of another.
Highlight:Tonight we shine our light on J Street’s work supporting civil rights, civil society and accountability efforts for Israelis and Palestinians.
Watch + Share→ Check out this recent conversation between J Street National Director of Communal Relations, Sam Berkman and Naomi Steinberg, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy at HIAS reflecting on the Jewish call to speak out against injustice and stand with those being targeted.
The full menorah glows with possibility. Our final rededication is to a future where Israelis and Palestinians live in freedom, safety and dignity.
Highlight: Tonight we shine our light on YOU and our incredible J Street community. J Street is committed to a vision of a secure, democratic Israel alongside an independent Palestinian state that can only be achieved through diplomacy, justice and shared humanity, and this commitment only happens when we all come together to drive this vision forward.
Take Action → Join us at the J Street National Convention, February 28–March 3, where thousands will gather to shape the movement for peace and democracy.
Each night of Hanukkah adds light — and each recommitment brings us closer to the future we need. May this season inspire us to act with courage, compassion and hope in the long work ahead.