Happy Hanukkah to all my Jewish friends!
Many Jewish holidays commemorate events invested with historical and religious meaning. Hanukkah means "dedication," and it commemorates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by foreign forces. The celebration also reaffirms the continuing struggle to live by God's commandments and to lead Jewish lives.
When all is said and done, perhaps the most important message of Hanukkah may be found in the name of the holiday itself: dedication. When Jews have dedicated themselves, through faith and action, to the pursuit of high religious and human ideals, Judaism has been strong. That imperative, to strengthen the Jewish religion and people, remains an important challenge at this season, in every generation. (From the Jewish Outreach Institute)
Learn more about Hanukkah from the History Channel.
Did you know that 55 percent of the Denver-Boulder area's 70,000 Jews are unaffiliated, which is one of the highest rates in the country?
You can read how Stepping Stones, a Jewish outreach effort, is trying to connect with the region's large number of intermarried couples and unaffiliated Jews in today's Denver Post article, Hanukkah's illuminating lesson.
