Families lead busy lives, often running from one activity to another. It is not easy to fit in sports, play dates, music lessons, dinner, and homework in the few hours between school and bedtime. By December, young families may feel exhausted. Is it possible to pause for Hanukkah? Could eight days of candle-lighting become an opportunity to slow down, reflect, discuss, and share?
Unlike Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur, Hanukkah is not observed in the synagogue through long religious services. Unlike Passover, it does not require extensive preparation. We don’t dress up in costume the way we do on Purim or build an outdoor structure the way we do on Sukkot.
By contrast, Hanukkah is simple: Candles, gifts, potato pancakes, and jelly doughnuts. What’s more, it is customary not to work while the candles in the menorah are burning. The average Hanukkah candle lasts less than an hour. This is the perfect amount of time to spin the dreidel or play a board game together as a family. The Hanukkah lights can help us be mindful of the ones we love and to appreciate each moment in their presence.
