Rabbi Max Miller: What Fuels Your Fire?

A young boy was asked by his public school teacher what his favorite holiday treat is. Surely in a public school many of the answers revolve around the sweets in Christianity; however, this young boy instantly said, “sufganiyot!” the jelly-filled donuts eaten on Chanukah. This being a public school, the young boy was asked to explain sufganiyot and the reasons behind eating them for Chanukah. Proudly, he spoke about the miracle of the oil and that oily treats remind us of the story of the Maccabees.

I love thinking about this scene because one of the most important lessons of Chanukah is to be proud of our Jewish identity and traditions. What I wish for anyone in our community is to feel the pride to be their truest self. Just as we display the light of the chanukiah in the window, we should confidently show our Jewish identity in Atlanta and everywhere we go.

Max Miller is an assistant rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Sandy Springs.