The essence of Hanukkah is found in the soul of the Jewish people. Sometimes it's in oral tradition, sometimes in the written word, and sometimes it's found in humor and wit. That's why the best Hanukkah quotes range from inspiring to pithy to downright silly, and they all represent the vast personalities of the Jewish religion and its people.
A reminder that no matter what Jews have faced, are facing, and will undoubtedly face in the future, there is light and reason to celebrate. Just as a small amount of olive oil could burn for eight days, so does the inner light within the hearts and souls of Jewish people all over the world shine.
10 Musings on Hanukkah:
- “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” — Leonard Cohen
- “Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness.” — Anne Frank
- “Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame. Blessed is the flame that burns in the secret fastness of the heart” —Hannah Senesh
- "There were times when any other people would have given up in despair: after the destruction of the Temple, or the massacres of the crusades, or the Spanish Expulsion, or the pogroms, or the Shoa. But somehow Jews did not sit and weep. They gathered what remained, rebuilt our people, and lit a light like no other in history, a light that tells us and the world of the power of the human spirit to overcome every tragedy and refuse to accept defeat." — Rabbi Sacks
- “We cannot hold a torch to light another’s path without brightening our own.” —Ben Sweetland
- “Never fear shadows. They simply mean that there is a light shining somewhere nearby.” —Ruth E. Renkel
- “I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders.” —Jewish Proverb
- “A Maccababy’s gotta do what a Maccababy’s gotta do.” —Rugrats
- “Imagine if your cell phone battery was on 10 percent and it lasted for eight days. Now you understand Hanukkah.” —Unknown
- “When life gives you potatoes, make latkes.” —Unknown
Enough said. Now go and light the menorah, eat some latkes, play the dreydl game and bask in the light and warmth of Hannukah!