Hanukkah is often remembered as a story of victory, but the Talmud asks a deeper question: “ Mai Hanukkah ?” What is Hanukkah really about?  And it answers: not power, but light—a single cruse of oil that should not have lasted, yet did.   That matters in the wake of the attack at Bondi Beach.   Jewish tradition never denies darkness. It acknowledges fear, grief, and anger—but insists they are not the final word. Our response is not denial or despair, but action. Proverbs tea

L’shanah tovah tikateivu  is the traditional greeting at this season of the year: “May we be written for a good year.” The phrase is in...

The month of Elul, which begins with the new moon on August 25, is traditionally a time for self-reflection and preparation as we move...