Chanukah Same’ach! – even during a war

It feels slightly surreal to celebrate Chanukah, one of the happiest festivals in the Jewish calendar, during wartime. However since Hamas ruined Simchat Torah possibly forever with their horrific massacre, rape and abduction binge, we cannot let them mar any more chagim of ours. Moreover, we are in a much different position since that terrible black day, the IDF are well on their way, with the help of G-d and our allies, to destroying Hamas and rooting out the viper’s nest of terror that has been sitting on our border for decades.

So since it is 1st day Chanukah, and we are heading into Shabbat Chanukah, I want to bring you, not exactly a Good News Friday post, but some moving and uplifting items from the battlefront and from around Israel.

Last night, at the central candle-lighting at the Kotel, an extra 138 Chanukiot were lit in honor of the 138 hostages still held in horrific conditions (according the 70 or so freed hostages of last week) by Hamas in Gaza, in order to keep their flame alive.

Families of hostages light Hanukkah candles

In a ceremony filled with hope and despair alike, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum lit a menorah in honor of the remaining hostages held captive in Gaza by Hamas.

The menorah was lit by recently-released hostage Amit Shani, 16, who shared a sense of excitement to be lighting the candles, along with a feeling of despair: “I am excited to light the first Hanukkah candle on Israeli soil. We will fight until the last hostage returns from Gaza.”

138 candles were lit on the “Hostages’ Menorah,” with a candle lit for each hostage remaining in captivity.

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Raz Itamari and Shani Kaner, young women from Kfar Aza whose friends are held captive in Gaza, also spoke to the crowd. “We cry out and plead – return all the hostages home now, as soon as possible. You all know what happened on October 7th, you heard the horror stories in the news and read countless posts on social media.

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US Ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew was also in attendance and added: “Within this tragic war, we are reminding here tonight that light will always ultimately triumph over darkness. The United States stands by Israel now and always. We are committed to building here a future of lasting peace and security. We will not cease action until all 138 hostages return home.”

In a complete turnabout, almost a Purim-like ונהפוך הוא, the huge Menorah that stood on the roof of the Netzarim Synagogue in Gush Katif in Gaza, and which was removed at the time of the cursed “Disengagement”, the pullout of Israeli residents from Gaza in 2005, was returned from the Gush Katif Museum where it has been resting for 18 years, and was planted back in its rightful place. What could be a better sign that that?

On the left: an IDF soldier stands in front of the Menorah on the site of Netzarim in Gaza. On the right: Removing the Menorah from Netzarim Synagogue roof in 2005

An inventive IDF soldier decided not to let shell casings go to waste – and created a beautiful Chanukiah out of them!

Waste not want not! Rockets and shells into Chanukiyot. pic.twitter.com/VXrL36ZukC

— anneinpt אנחנו ננצח בעז״ה #JusticeforMalkiRoth (@anneinpt) December 8, 2023

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This reminds me of the Chanukiya that my late Grandfather created during the Second World War out of shell casings. We use it to this day in our family.

My late Grandfather Leo Strauss’s menorah made out of shell casings.

And to conclude this post, here is a beautiful drone show that took place last night in terror-struck Ofakim in the south of Israel for the enjoyment of its residents.

Wishing everyone Happy Chanukah, chag urim same’ach.

May Hashem protect our soldiers and citizens, and bring our hostages home safely and speedily.

Shabbat shalom!

עם ישראל חי!