Message from President Lou Abramovitz

​

Happy Early Thanksgivukkah Everyone! Lately, I’ve been thinking about some fun ways to get into the Challahday spirit!! My favorite Chanukkah song is Peter Yarrow’s Light One Candle and I will be lighting one for each night to spread a sweet light with my occasionally sweet family this December. Since Christmas music comes out on the radio way before Thanksgiving every year, I’d like to change both some traditions and tunes of my own. I’m going to merge the Jewish and general calendars when giving an extra thanks for the oil that lasted 8 days by pledging mitzvot. Instead of spoiling my kids with gifts who are too grown and spoiled enough already, I’m challenging them and myself to give to any cause that they’d like each night of Chanukkah. Whether it’s giving time or donations or care that, don’t get me wrong, should be given year-round, having it marked on the calendar can hold us all a little more accountable for meeting our New —Oops we’ve passed Rosh Hashanah—resolutions.

I think it’s a wonderful time to call/call-on each other and see if there’s any support that can be given in our Jewish community. With all the antisemitism that has been going on it’s a blessing that the world’s largest menorahs still stand tall as two 32-foot reminders of our resilience, one in Manhattan the other in Brooklyn. Living through the losses of Jews in and outside our synagogue makes me value each member and moment more. You all show me the light.

As always, it’s good to call and catch up with one another. You can even use the holidays as an excuse to be nosy. We all need people to kvetch, cry, coddle and eventually celebrate with when all feels good and well. Eating is appropriate for all dates--now that we’ve passed Yom Kippur—meaning latkes with sour cream and applesauce are a great way to show your love is a-latke (a lot). And don’t forget the sufganiyot because that would be a sin.

Although the most recent time Chanukkah Day-1 overlapped with Thanksgiving Day was in 2013, and the next one won’t be until 2070, let’s bridge the gap and start early like the Christians. In honor of Thanksgivukkah I recommend you listen to 8 Days (Of Hanukkah) by Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Chanukah (Shake It Off) by Six13, and The Chanukah Song by Adam Sandler. Let’s not forget my favorite Christmas song, obviously written by a Jew, I Got Stuck at The Christmas Pageant which they could play all October and you’d all still be smiling with me because of Cantor Zev Brooks.

Your homework this holiday season alongside your list of 8 mitzvahs is learning the 16 different ways there are to spell Hanukkah according to Time Magazine. Don’t worry I’ll email them to add Thanksgivukkah, but according to all calendars I have plenty of time.