בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ ואמותינו בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, God of all the universe who made miracles for our ancestors in their days in this season.
Each night of Hanukkah, as we bless the candles, we recite these words. For eight nights, we choose to bring light into our homes, to honor the miracles of the time of our ancestors. But this season can also light a fire in us, to be the miracle makers of our own time.
We often think of miracles as the impossible — that which is beyond our power. But we know that we have the power to choose hope, fight for justice and bring light into this season of darkness.
We can be miracle makers.
As we recite these words tonight, we might ask ourselves:
Who in our world, in this time, needs a miracle?
What is your light? How can you share it?
How can we all be miracle makers?
Yoni Slater is a third year at The George Washington University, where they are a member of the Honors Program, pursuing majors in psychology and peace studies. They have been organizing with J Street U since the fall of their first year, serving as co-chair of their campus chapter and a member of the Southeast regional team prior to their current role as President of the national board. Yoni is originally from Evanston, IL where they learned to love Chavurah Judaism, books and the smell of fall.
Eight nights, eight ways to deepen your involvement, awareness and impact
For each night of Hanukkah, we have a recommended activity — a way to learn more about the issues, get more involved in J Street or help drive change. You can do all eight in order, switch them up, or pick and choose what’s most meaningful to you.