It's the time of year when the days are short, the nights are dark, and the joyful music and decorations abound. Wherever we go we hear celebratory music and greetings of "merry" and "happy." I usually love this time of the year with its crisp air, sweet smells, and joyful song. But this year I am having trouble getting into that spirit.
This year I'm scared.
This year I want to be joyful and I want to spread the cheer and I want to celebrate -- but I'm sad. These few months have been rough for my community, my people, my country and my Israel. Every day for the past few months I've seen stories of terror in Israel. People are walking up to strangers, pulling knives out of pockets and purses and stabbing them. Others are driving cars onto sidewalks into crowds, killing and injuring several people at a time.
In San Bernardino, a town not far from where I live, a town where my grandparents are buried, where my friends live and work, two people entered a regional center and killed 14 human beings who were gathered to celebrate the winter holidays.
In the Jewish Journal last week a man published an article publicly humiliating a local Rabbi for his transgender identification, calling this rabbi and his congregation an embarrassment to Judaism, desecrating our Torah by bullying someone in its name.
And not too long ago, a public figure stated that all Muslims should be banned from entering the United States.
I see all of this in the newspaper, on the news and in my Facebook feed. And then when I recycle the paper, turn off the TV, and put away my phone, I see my two toddlers. They know nothing of these horrific and saddening acts. They see that I'm upset so they come to sit in my lap.
All my kids know is love.
In their 17 months they have received nothing but love from everyone they meet. They don't yet know the desperation and hate that drives someone to stab a stranger or murder a group of people. They don't know the fear that leads someone to bully and humiliate another. And they don't yet know why a public figure stating that he would disallow an entire religious community from entering a country would be triggering and scary.
All they know is love. And I want to keep it that way for as long as possible. I want this time of year to be magical and special and joyful for my kids, and for myself too. So we spent the afternoon decorating the house for Hanukkah. And we took a walk to see the neighbor's decorations, saying "hi" to everyone on our way. And when we put them to bed we gave them extra kisses and extra cuddles and read one extra story. Because the more love we give them, the more love they will give others, and some days it feels like that's all we can do.
So I'm scared and sad, but I'm also hopeful. I light the candles of my Hanukkah and sing joyful songs with my family. I wish people a "merry" and "happy" holiday on the street and in the store. I sign petitions and write letters to my representatives on issues I think are important. And I give love. It's a scary world, but the story of Hanukkah teaches us that hope can win over fear. That light and love can win over darkness.
This article originally appeared on interfaithfamily.com and is reprinted with permission