November 24, 1999
Chanukah 5760
Chanukah Greetings from the Orthodox Union
The Chanukah candles that shine in the
windows of Jewish homes the world over serve as the ultimate symbols of religious
freedom.
As we light the menorah, we recall the battle for spiritual survival waged by the Macabees
many centuries ago. And we remind ourselves that the effort to secure and protect freedom
of religion – which is so vital to our survival as a people – continues to
demand our vigilant attention.
However, it is not just the lighting of the menorah that is significant, it is the way
in which we light the menorah that is, perhaps, the most symbolic. We do not simply use a
match to kindle all of the flames. Rather, we first light the shamash – a
helper candle – which sits apart from all others and use its fire to spread light to
the rest of the candles.
It has been said that the way in which the shamash spreads its incandescence
throughout the menorah represents influence which – when shared – multiplies
100-fold, inspiring a collaboration of efforts to reach common goals. As we work to
achieve all of our objectives – from reaching out to Jewish youth, to including
individuals with disabilities, to defending religious freedom – we strive to serve as
a catalyst for spreading positive influence throughout the Jewish world.
The officers and staff of the OU would like to wish all of our fellow Jews a happy and
peaceful Chanukah.
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