While most American Jews are busy rushing around filling holiday shopping baskets with the hippest and the latest, gifts barely even register a blip on the Chanukah meter at Chanukah celebrations around the globe.
As a front-page story in this week’s Bulletin points out, Jews in most countries focus on the holiday’s themes of freedom and miracles more than on who’s getting what.
We might take a lesson from that approach.
While Chanukah gift-giving is undoubtedly a part of our culture, and an enjoyable and lively one at that, it is easy to lose the spirit of the holiday in mounds of boxes, wrapping paper and ribbons.
It’s a spirit we cannot afford to lose.
Inspired by the ancient Maccabees’ victory over Antiochus’ formidable army, Chanukah reminds us that overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds is possible.
Today, in a world where so many people struggle to climb such giant mountains as poverty, homelessness, life-threatening illness and loneliness, maintaining such hope is crucial.
Fortunately, the community offers a number of vehicles to help people do that.
The San Francisco- and East Bay-based Jewish Family and Children’s Services, for example, will hold their annual Chanukah drives once again this year.
Through the drives, the agencies help isolated elderly, disadvantaged and ill Jews experience the uplifting spirit of the holiday. Without the drives, which collect and distribute money, small gifts and such Chanukah paraphernalia as latke mix and dreidels, many would not be able to do that.
So in the spirit of an American Chanukah, enjoy giving and receiving gifts this holiday. Just don’t let them obscure the real light of the season.