We’re just a few weeks away from the darkest day of the year. The winter solstice on December 21 marks the beginning of winter and the point at which the Northern Hemisphere is tilted farthest from the sun. So this is a good time to talk about light - and lights.
There are holiday lights all over our communities, my house included. We have boat parades and tree lightings, and things are looking festive. But there’s one more set of lights that all of us at One Martin want to recommend to you.
On December 7, the Jewish members of our community begin their annual Hanukkah festivities. It’s an eight-day celebration of freedom from repression and the rededication of their Temple way back in the second century. The story goes that a small amount of oil that was used to light the Temple’s menorah was only supposed to last one night but miraculously burned for eight days. The lights on the menorah are a sign of bringing hope in a dark time.
One way to view Hanukkah, even if you are not Jewish, is that it celebrates the miracle of people looking after one another and doing what is right. The candles on the menorah that represent each day are not higher than one another. With so much divisiveness in the world it’s easy to see the danger when we lift one group over another. But the menorah is a symbol of hope and beauty when we connect to one another as equals.
We encourage everyone - residents and businesses alike - to help bring more light into our world. If you have access to a menorah, how about putting it in your window to show you too want peace and light in the world. If you don’t have a real one, a paper print-out of one will do the job and we’ve included a few at the end of this email.
One Martin is all about bringing people together. We support a culture in Martin County that encourages diverse interests to find common ground and discover an appreciation and respect for those differences. We believe this will create a stronger community for us all.
So please consider adding Hanukkah lights to your Christmas and other festive decorations to show our friends, neighbors and colleagues that we care.
Sincerely,
Rick Hartman
Click here or on the photo above to download a printable file.
Click here or on the photo above to download a printable file.
Click here or on the photo above to download a printable file.
