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I’ve heard it and said it so many times, especially around Hanukkah: A little bit of light dispels far more darkness, and even a small good deed can dispel much more evil. Thankfully, this idea associated with the power of the menorah, the candles lit for eight nights in a row to celebrate the holiday, has typically remained theoretical for me. We are blessed to live in a time of safety and abundance, keeping darkness and evil relatively distant.
This year, the lead-up to Hanukkah was very dark, and evil had raised its ugly head. Hours before we were scheduled to host a menorah lighting a Hanukkah celebration in Menlo Park, two gunmen attacked a similar event in Bondi Beach, leaving 15 victims dead and the entire world shaking. My cousin had been at the event, where he shielded his young daughter as gunfire rang out around them.
Helplessness, anger and disbelief were the natural reactions. How could the festival of light be almost extinguished, snuffed out by a hail of gunfire? There were so many questions, but I could only think of one answer. We had to carry on with our planned Hanukkah event.
After all, Hanukkah is a holiday that celebrates resilience. It commemorates the actions of a few brave Jews — known as the Maccabees — who stood up to a stronger invading force in ancient times, driving them out despite the odds. If there is a time for pushing doubts to the side, Hanukkah is that time.
The menorah lighting was to be the first of its kind for Menlo Park, as is Menlo Chabad, Menlo Park’s first Jewish center. My wife Esty and I founded it a little more than a year ago. Thankfully, the spirit of the Maccabees shined through. Families with small children, senior citizens and young adults, both those with Jewish backgrounds and those from other faiths, filled the park to show support, watch the ceremony, and grabbed a Hanukkah treat. All in all, more than 200 people turned out, making it Menlo Park’s biggest Jewish event ever. We were also pleased to welcome Menlo Park Police Chief David Norris and his wife, Nicole, who lit the menorah, using the shamash, or the helper candle, which was lit by Todd and Carol Maybach.
To me, the event was a testament both to Menlo Park’s growing Jewish community and to the supremacy of light over darkness, good over evil. But most importantly, I witnessed the need to increase in good when faced with a challenge. The only response to negativity is to surge forward with more positivity, despite the question that can be overwhelming.
Rabbi Dovid Geisinsky is the co-director of Menlo Chabad. For more info, email info@menlochabad.com or visit menlochabad.com.
