My family and I purchased an electric menorah to use this Chanukah. We’ll be employing our beloved wax-adorned menorahs too, of course, but this way we can place the electric one in the window without setting the curtains on fire. I already feel good about it. Instead of worrying about what hazards might befall us, we can display our menorah with pride the way Chanukah tradition encourages us to do.

Even if you choose not to display your menorah publicly, the holiday offers a timely opportunity to reconnect with what it means to take up space in this world and use our agency for good. At a time when we are having to defend our place in society, Chanukah offers us the chance to stand proudly as Jews as we work to illuminate a brighter future for ourselves and all communities—skills we are going to need in the year ahead.

Our hypothesis at Federation is this: the more we can help individuals connect with their Jewish identities, be part of strengthening their communities, and come together to address crucial needs, the better off those individuals, the Jewish people, and the world will be. In growing Jewish life, we sustain ourselves and the world around us.

We therefore strive to take the messy, ambiguous work of community building and infuse it with strategy, resources, and meaningful connections. You could think of us as a communal windowpane, helping to refract light inward, outward, and onward.

With all this in mind, I want to invite you to make the most of this Chanukah and give to Federation. We have just a few weeks left in our Annual Campaign, and we need as much metaphorical light and literal funds as we can get. It’s clear 2026 will be a consequential year for the American Jewish community and we want to be ready.

For all the challenges, I feel incredibly privileged to help shape and shepherd Jewish life through this chapter. I know many of you feel the same. I remain eternally grateful for your partnership and wish you joy, warmth, and an abundance of inspiration this Chanukah season.