| Much like the other winter holidays, Chanukah is a | | | | to find some aspect of the holiday that has |
| festival of lights. When this holiday becomes one | | | | personal meaning for you. Also, know exactly |
| more about commercialism and less about | | | | how to light the candles and say the prescribed |
| spirituality, however, even the lighting of candles | | | | blessings. Then, when you light the candles and |
| for 8 nights can leave people in the dark spiritually. | | | | say the blessings, keep this meaning in mind. |
| Learn how to transform the celebration of this | | | | To make the experience spiritual, create a sacred |
| holiday from an empty observance into a | | | | space within which to set your chanukiah, the |
| meaning-full and spirit-full one. | | | | special menorah used on this holiday. This can be |
| Despite the fact that the observance of | | | | as simple as placing a special table cloth on the |
| Chanukah revolves around the lighting of candles | | | | table, burning incense in the room, or saying a |
| in the menorah, often Jews find themselves in the | | | | prayer invoking the Divine Presence to join you |
| dark when it comes to making this holiday | | | | for this ritual. |
| meaningful and spiritual. Much like Christmas, | | | | Also, spend some time with your family in the |
| Chanukah has become a holiday about | | | | light of the candles. The light is said to have a |
| consumerism rather than about God, miracles and | | | | spiritual quality all its own, so basking in it can be |
| struggles for religious freedom. | | | | quite a spiritual experience all its own. Many people |
| Just as the Maccabi's fought back against the | | | | like to meditate on the flames, which seem to be |
| Syrians desire to assimilate them into their way | | | | reaching up to God. |
| of life and their religious practices, Jews today | | | | Also, Chanukah, a time when we commemorate |
| must continue struggling to retain their religious | | | | the miracle of a small jug of oil burning not for |
| and spiritual beliefs and practices. At no time is | | | | just one day but for eight and a small army |
| this more apparent than during the holiday season, | | | | defeating a large one, supposedly is a time when |
| when everywhere Jews turn they are bombarded | | | | we can access the energy of miracles. If we sit in |
| by the consumerism of Christmas, which seems | | | | the light of the candles and meditate on the |
| to far outweigh its spiritual or religious meaning | | | | miracles we would like to create in our lives, as |
| and context. Yet, it is possible to instill the lighting | | | | well as in the world, we have a higher likelihood of |
| of the Chanukah candles with meaning and to | | | | actually manifesting them. |
| make this a spiritual ritual for the whole family. | | | | So don't spend another Chanukah lighting candles |
| In fact, Chanukah was never about giving gifts. | | | | every night in an empty and meaningless manner. |
| Traditionally, teachers received "gelt," or money, | | | | Take the time to put some thought and |
| at this time of year to show appreciation for their | | | | preparation into the ritual. Instead of getting |
| contribution to children's education. Occassionally | | | | caught up in the buying frenzy of other winter |
| students also received gelt. This explains why | | | | holidays, spend time contemplating how to make |
| many Jews give gold-foil covered chocolate | | | | your holiday meaningful and spiritual. By utilizing |
| "coins" on this holiday. | | | | some of these techniques, tools and activities, this |
| To make your Chanukah ritual meaningful, prior to | | | | Chanukah, you can transform your holiday |
| the first night of Chanukah research why this | | | | observance into a meaning-full and spirit-full one. |
| holiday is observed and what it really is about. Try | | | | |