So, the holiday of Chanukah is coming up and fast! But this year, I am so grateful that the holiday is soon after the Operation Pillar of Defense in Israel. As many of you know, during that time, there were rockets, missiles, terrible things attacking Israel from Gaza. But, there was an Iron Dome protecting Israel from many of these rockets. Because of this protective dome, this whole period of time was refered to as Operation Pillar of Defense or translated from the Hebrew, A Protective Cloud.
This image of a cloud protecting Israel makes many people think of the pillar of fire that protected the people of Israel from the charging Egyptian army right after they escaped from Egypt. It also conjures up the image of the protective cloud that followed the people of Israel as they traveled in the desert on their way to the Land of Israel. These images were in my head during the weeks this November in Israel and provided many, me included, with a tiny glimmer of hope.
During the holiday of Chanukah, many Jews will be lighting Chanukah candles, another way of bringing light and hope during literally dark and cold wintery nights. These candles are supposed to trigger memories of our past as a Jewish people.
There is an Israeli Chanukah song that comes to mind when I think of these candles:
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This
part of this Israeli Chanukah song struck me as well: “My little candles/they teach me
stories/about the past of the nation/about the past of the nation/and I will
listen to each candle/that tells me to get up and wake up/my nation is alive/my
nation is alive.”
The
candles that we will be lighting on Chanukah tell a story and in turn, the
story is meant to teach us about our Jewish identities and of our identity as a strong nation. We must remember to continue to help to light
the way for others and use these little lights as a way to remind ourselves
about our stories from the past. May we
draw comfort from these candles during this dark and cold time and may we turn
this light and warmth to help others.
In light (get it? light?? :) of the image of the candle and cloud, may I introduce the Candle in the Cloud Cocktail! The tastes, smells, and images seen in the one little cocktail, should remind people of the green land of Israel, the cloud of defense, and the sweetness of a hopeful future.
In a glass mug, or a regular glass, add a spoonful of white hot chocolate mix.
Then, add 1/3 of a cup of hot water. Mix well and let the drink cool for about 10 minutes. Add one shot of peppermint schnapps and mix again. Optional step: Add a drop of grenadine or berry jelly to the glass. Sip and enjoy!
