When Darkness Grows, We Increase the Light

For my Shabbat message this week, I am sharing the remarks that I delivered at the public Chanukiyah lighting at Van Saun Park last Saturday night, on the seventh night of Chanukah.

 

Good evening, friends, neighbors, and honored guests.

Thank you for being here tonight: to our local elected officials, community leaders, and to everyone who has come to share in this moment. Your presence matters, and it sends a powerful message that this community values faith, freedom, and one another.

Chanukah is often described as a holiday about light. But it is really about what light does.

More than two thousand years ago, the Jewish people faced a moment when our identity, our values, our safety, and our right to live according to our conscience were under threat. The miracle of Chanukah was not only that a small amount of oil burned longer than expected. The deeper miracle was that a small, determined community refused to disappear and chose hope over despair.

This year, that message carries added weight. On the first day of Chanukah, a horrific and violent tragedy occurred at Bondi Beach in Australia, shattering lives and leaving an entire community in mourning. For Jews around the world, it was a painful reminder that even in moments of celebration, that hatred and violence remain very real forces. Throughout the world, we are once again vulnerable.  Precisely because of that, gatherings like this one matter more than ever. So I want to thank not only our county executive and the board of commissioners, but also recognize our decades long partnership and cooperation with the Paramus Police Department, the Bergen County Sheriff’s department, the NJ State police, and other laws enforcement through the county and state.  Your friendship means so much, and we are grateful for it. 

The Jewish tradition teaches that the Chanukah lights are not meant to be hidden. They are meant to be placed where they can be seen, in a window, at a doorway, or, as we are doing tonight, in a public square. The message is simple and universal: when darkness grows, we respond by increasing light.

And that light is not only for ourselves. It is for everyone who passes by, for neighbors, for visitors, for Jews, and for people of every background and belief. It is a reminder that faith can be lived openly, peacefully, joyfully, and with respect for others. That courage does not require power. And that hope, even when it begins small, can shine far beyond its source.

At a time when the world often feels divided and uncertain, this gathering affirms something important: that public spaces can still be places of unity, that differences need not divide us, and that the values symbolized by this Chanukiyah — resilience, freedom, and human dignity — belong to all of us.

In a few moments, we will light the Chanukah menorah. As we do, may its light bring warmth to this community, strength to those who feel vulnerable, and inspiration to everyone who sees it.

Thank you for being part of this moment. Chag Chanukah Sameach.