Eight Days of Decisions



We tend to think of Hanukah as a “fun little holiday” for children. Maybe that is a trap we fall into because we have allowed it to become so commercialized as “the Jewish Christmas.” Maybe it is because we have allowed Hanukah to become a bigger deal than it was ever meant to be. To me it is odd that a Jewish family would make a big deal out of Hanukah but do next to nothing to mark Rosh HaShanah or Pesach. I guess it is a matter of perspective and we have certainly, of late, lost all perspective on Hanukah! When we do focus on the message of the holiday we usually talk about the amazing military victory of the Maccabees, the miracle of the oil, or the lighting of the Hannukiyah.
This year I would ask you to consider Hanukah in one new way which, I believe, is very true to the spirit of the holiday. Hanukah does not mark the end of a struggle that was only political. It was a spiritual struggle. Antiochus called upon the Jews to make a decision- follow his religion or be punished, worship God or worship the personification of the empire. It seems many Jews were willing to compromise with this decree. There were those who were willing to embrace the Greek gods in order to make their lives easier. Had they prevailed Judaism would have been doomed and the Jews would have disappeared into the population of a vast empire.
There were, however, other voices. The Maccabees brought together those who refused to abandon their faith, their values, and their identity. I have no doubt that their decision was the hardest thing that they ever had to make. To oppose the emperor meant the risk of death. To fight him meant facing an enemy army of great superiority. Those who joined with the Maccabees did so at great risk and yet it was the only decision that they could make.
I believe this is the most inspiring aspect of Hanukah. We celebrate the bravery of a group of our ancestors who had to face a monumental decision: What does being Jewish mean to me? Is it only a label, one that can be discarded if need be? Is it something so deep that I refuse to live without it? Most of us are lucky enough not to have to face that question ourselves. What is incumbent upon us is to reflect on the courage of those who did face such a decision. When we celebrate Hanukah we celebrate the strength of their faith and the resolve of their decisions.
The world eats away at our souls in so many ways- it is hard to be a spiritual person when so much of our energy must be directed to our physical needs. It is hard to maintain the uniqueness of one’s Jewish identity when there is so much pressure to “be like everyone else.” Hanukah is the perfect time to think about the decisions you make to be Jewish. Trust me, you do have to decide, you have to make a conscious choice very often. Will you be a Maccabee or will you choose the easier path? Your life may not depend on the decision but your soul does.
If you want to give a loved one a great gift for Hanukah give them the gift of your decision- the miracle of Jewish life. We have to make decisions of all kinds every day. Make Hanukah eight days of making the right decisions.

This article appeared in the December 1, 2011 issue of South Florida Jewish Home.

The L'Chaim Show JLTV-- Looking Ahead

Watch for my upcoming interview wih Dr. Raanan Gissin on the L'Chaim Show. The show will soon move to Sunday evening- watch for details.

The 90 Million Dollar Internet
Most of us think of the internet as a wonderful tool. You can get information, send e-mails, go shopping, and a wealth of other daily chores. To be sure, the world-wide-web has changed our lives in many ways. We all know that with all the blessings come the “dark side” of the web- all the bad things that can happen on line. It is a mixed blessing but the flow of digital information has become a permanent part of our lives. While much of the future is unknown, one thing is for sure- the internet will be an even greater part of the lives of our children and grandchildren.
There is an important public debate that is taking place that may affect all of us eventually. Even if you are a casual or novice user of the internet, two bills before Congress are worthy of your attention. One is called the “Stop Online Piracy Act,” the other is called the “Protect IP Act.” Both bills have good reason for consideration. They both basically try to protect the rights of people who produce entertainment, movies, music, and books. The bills will try to prevent the on line piracy of these media- to prevent people from “pirating” them, i.e., creating digital versions that other people can get without paying.
At first glance this seems more than fair- it costs money to make a movie so why should someone be able to download it for free? On the surface these bills do nothing more than try to prevent people from stealing what “belongs” to someone else. Only fair, right? The stakes in this battle are very high. Estimates say that groups on both sides of the issue have spent more than 90 million dollars in lobbying for or against these bills. Why are groups so willing to spend so much money? For the entertainment industry the investment makes sense- spend a little, save a lot! People will have to pay for their music and movies. Why are other groups spending millions to oppose the bill? Are they a bunch of crooks who just want to steal music?
This brings us to the bigger issue- the control or restriction of the internet. The “net” is the most powerful weapon on the face of the earth. From “Occupy Wall Street” to the popular uprisings in the Arab world we have seen the new tool that moves, motivates, and unites people is their ability to communicate instantly. Those who oppose these bills worry that new restrictions will begin to eat away at the freedom of information and communication that we now enjoy. Their thinking is that “the internet does not need police.” While piracy is one of many abuses of the internet, some folks are very skeptical of regulations.
While these seem like small issues to many of us, what we decide now will dictate how we use the internet in the future and, while I don’t justify piracy, I would like to keep the internet a cyber-place without stoplights and parking tickets. Next time you are on line say “hi” to the grandkids for me!

This article appeared in the South Florida Jewish Journaland the Atlanta Jewish Times