I was all set to send out a sweet message of hope, of kindling light in the darkness, adding light to the world, all that good-vibes Chanukah stuff. But now, before the earth has rotated around enough for us to be kindling our first lights, we are reeling from the news from another hemisphere. This time from Australia; but it is of a piece, isn’t it, with my having to announce from the bimah on Yom Kippur the murder of Jews in England? Our hearts are with all of the families and the communities grieving right now. We grieve with them… and we fear, for ourselves.

And so our Chanukah lights this year are about more than the very beautiful idea of making the world a little brighter at the darkest of seasons. I think as we light tonight, we can focus on something else, too: our sense of solidarity with the Jewish people. As journalist Ezra Klein wrote in his 2019 book Why We’re Polarized, “The simplest way to activate someone’s identity is to threaten it.” In fact, as he goes on to explore and brings the studies to prove, a threat to one’s identity can seemingly awaken even one’s dormant identities.

There are lots of reasons to light Chanukah candles starting tonight. Yes, they will remind us to hope and work for light in even the darkest of moods and times. Yes, they will help us pause to gather with loved ones to light or to wish one another a chag sameach, a happy holiday. Yes, it is a mitzvah. But tonight we double down on something else: that lighting the Chanukah lights is an act of solidarity with the Jewish people. We light to recall other generations in which Jewish life has been under threat, and we light because none of that has ever stopped Am Yisrael Chai, the Jewish people as a living, thriving being. That no matter what happens, no matter how dormant our identities at other times, right now we are awake and ready to keep the flames of the Jewish story burning bright.

This week, we recite the al hanissim prayer after lighting the Chanukah candles and at other times throughout the week. It recounts the Chanukah story and thanks God “for the miracles and wonders and mighty deeds and salvations and victories You wrought for our ancestors in their days and in this day.” Rabbis have long remarked on that final clause, “and in this day.” How can we know that every year that clause will be true? Because when we stand together as a people reciting our ancient words and performing our sacred rituals, we feel the miracle unfolding right here. The miracle is us. That will carry us through this week, this year, and always.

Chag urim sameach – may it be a holiday of light and joy.