Jody Pollack's Chanukah Message for 2024

As we celebrate openly celebrating Chanukah, let us not forget about the hundred plus hostages that will not be sharing the candles glow with their families this year. When we have their presence, only then, will we be able to truly appreciate our presents.

Many things have changed since last Chanukah, albeit not all for the best. We learned that many being held captive have not survived and their families have gotten the closure they did not pray for. We still have fighting going on in and around Israel. While we have seen many of Israel’s enemies falter and fall, they are not fully vanquished, Yet.

Thankfully, there are new powerful lights on the horizon that will bring clarity and energy to the battlefield. The fog of war is still thick and land mines are everywhere, so we need to tread lightly. The weights that have been holding up peace are being tossed aside and peace is at hand, but the mission is far from being accomplished.

I personally am looking forward to a brighter day as we exit a self-imposed malaise and take action to rekindle our burning desire for the process of realizing the American dream of earned success and deserved rewards that we, the unmentioned minority, pursue as part of our nature. Well unfortunately, we are mentioned all too often when it comes to antisemitism but that is a subject of another diatribe.

Our community has greatly benefitted from 100 years of the various iterations of the Atlanta Jewish Times as it has served as a bright beacon of hope and as an extended member of our families. Many conversations start with “Did you see that in the AJT? I can’t believe they let him rant again” or “What a great article about so and so. I didn’t know that about him”. Without much fanfare or vanity, the paper/website continues to be part of the heartbeat of Jewish Atlanta that is a treasure hidden in plain sight. And that, my fellow Jewish Atlantans is a true Chanukah gift to all of us.

Chag Chanukah.

Jody Pollack is past President of HOD Lodges Bezalel and Shimshon, past Executive Director of the Atlanta Kosher BBQ Festival.