Ray Alyssa Rothman’s Chanukah Message for 2025

Hanukkah: What It Means to Me, and the Meaning of Light and Darkness

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is more than eight nights of candles, song and celebration. For me, it’s a time to reflect on identity, resilience, and sparks of hope that guide us when the world feels uncertain. The story of the Maccabees — who stood up for their beliefs against overwhelming odds — lies at the center of Hanukkah. After reclaiming the Temple, they found only enough oil for one night, yet it miraculously lasted for eight. That miracle is foundational, but the meaning extends beyond history. Hanukkah teaches that even the smallest light can push back darkness, and hope can survive in unlikely places.

To me, the holiday reminds us that strength is not always loud or dramatic. Often, it’s quiet persistence – the willingness to keep going and show up as your true self. Lighting the menorah symbolizes gradual growth. Each night adds another candle, and with it, more light. It’s a simple act, yet deeply symbolic: hope builds slowly, and every step matters.

The contrast between light and darkness in Hanukkah is powerful. Darkness can represent fear, uncertainty, or overwhelming moments – times of self-doubt or challenges that feel too big. Hanukkah reminds me that darkness isn’t something to avoid; it’s something to meet with light. And that light doesn’t need to be perfect. A single flame is enough to begin.

Light represents hope, courage, and community. It’s the comfort of traditions passed down and the connection I feel to Jewish people around the world lighting their own menorahs. But it’s also personal – the inner strength that guides me even when I don’t feel brave.

Hanukkah challenges me to ask: What light am I bringing into the world? How can I be a source of kindness, understanding, or resilience for others? The holiday teaches that we are not only receivers of light but carriers of it. When we choose compassion over anger or hope over despair, we add another flame to the world.

Hanukkah celebrates miracles – both historic and everyday ones. It reminds me that resilience is a virtue, identity is a strength, and choosing light over darkness is the best choice. Each year, as the candles burn low, I’m reminded of the spark worth protecting. That spark is what Hanukkah means to me.

Ray Alyssa Rothman is a commercial real estate broker who focuses on land. Her side business is Kibbitz & Konnect, the premier in-person social network for Atlanta’s Jewish singles community (www.kibbitzkonnect.org).