It’s Chanukah again, this time under COVID. Things here are still opening up little by little, but they are watching the numbers (which have been rising again slowly) and are considering another lockdown if they continue to rise. Like in the US, people are hopeful that the new vaccines will return life to normal sometime in the next few months. The big hope is that by Passover people will be able to celebrate with their friends and families again.
The Chanukah spirit is everywhere. Last night at my job at the biotech medical startup company, I was there working until about 6PM. Just after dark, around 5:30PM, they (all these young, non-kippah wearing tech guys) grabbed me and we all ran upstairs to the big break room. It was time to light the Chanukah candles. As the new guy, and the only one wearing a kippah, they had me light the candles and lead the prayers. (I believe their exact words were something like, “Hey Tzadik! (tzadik = righteous person) Come! Help us light the candles!” Everyone there, all “secular,” knew both blessings by heart. They didn’t seem to think anything of it.
I started and then, not knowing the melody they use, just followed along as they all sang together, “…who did miracles for our ancestors in those days, at this time.”
And all I could think was, “and still does, if you have eyes to see it.”
