One of the enduring mysteries of human cognition is how to distinguish between the destructive power of fire and its capacity to illuminate, civilize, and educate. The very same flame that can burn a house down can also cook food to sustain us. A torch can be a weapon of war, and it can also illuminate a dark room so a book can be read. Without fire, we’d have had no smiths and thus no tools to use in thousands of ways; without those same smiths using that fire we’d have no weapons beyond flint and wooden spears.

And yet, from the dawn of civilization through until the present day we humans have lived with that duality of creative and destructive. Fire is the fulcrum of civilization, the tipping or balancing point upon which everything depends.

For us as Jews, the idea of fire or light and its implications come to a head during this season. Chanukah demonstrates the enduring miracle of the flame of the Menorah that burned for eight days; it also symbolizes the persistence of the Jewish people in the face of overwhelming odds, and the strength of the light of our Torah and our traditions. But Chanukah also was the harbinger of the Hasmonean dynasty which widened the rifts among our people, usurped the kingship from the line of David, and eventually invited in the Romans, who soon seized control, and who eventually destroyed our temple. There’s a straight line from Chanukah to 2000 years of exile.

And yet, again, without that determination to protect Jewish life by Matityahu and his sons in Modiin at the outset, the Jewish people and their tradition may not even have lasted more than a generation or two before being overwhelmed by Seleucid Greek culture. Once again, we are challenged to accept this duality of light and flame.

There are no easy ways to look at this time of year during our time of challenge after 10/7. And perhaps, that is our greatest strength - that we can hold both of these truths, that we can bring, encourage and foster light, love and warmth, while holding aloft a fiery torch that casts its light and flame into even the darkest corners inhabited by the the malice and hate of the shadows. Perhaps we can cleanse those lightless places. Perhaps we can find those who we seek and bring them back to their families.

We hold aloft the flame for all of these, and bless the lights that we kindle with our children.

On behalf of our incredible staff and our tireless Board, our educators, our volunteers, and our supporters, all of us at the Jewish Federation and Foundation of Rockland County wish you and your families a wonderful Chanukah, filled with light.