In many households it’s been a long-time tradition to give children eight gifts for Chanukah, one for each night of the holiday.
Some rabbis argue that the entire premise of gift-giving is not what Chanukah is about. They contend the tradition was invented in America to counter the influence of the nearby Christmas holiday.
But rightly or wrongly, most Jews will be exchanging gifts beginning tonight.
Children often have a wish list of the gifts they hope to receive during Chanukah. Well, we’ve compiled our own list — gifts we think the Northern California Jewish community could use:
1. The establishment of a fund that would help financially pressed Bay Area Jews live a Jewish life. The fund would assist them in paying for day-school tuition, synagogue dues, JCC dues, etc.
2. Funds to break ground for a new Jewish museum. Until that happens, we’d want enough money pledged to allow Berkeley’s Magnes Museum to rehire laid-off staff and resume its normal operations.
3. Increased donations to our local Jewish federations so they could better fund the numerous beneficiary agencies, which do the important outreach work our community so badly needs.
4. The construction of Jewish-operated assisted living facilities in the Peninsula and Marin County, where they are sorely needed to handle an increase in aging baby boomers.
5. More nursery schools and after-school care programs for Jewish children throughout the Bay Area.
6. A Bay Area synagogue initiative concentrating on helping small local congregations grow and start new programs that would attract members.
7. The money needed to make all our Jewish day schools competitive with the best private schools in the Bay Area.
8. On a national/international note, the present we’d prefer is multiple. How about peace in the Mideast, a peaceful settlement in Iraq, and an end to threats of terrorism on our shores?
As we contemplate what gifts like these would mean to our community, let us wish you all a meaningful and happy Chanukah.