The Festival of Lights

We all know that Hanukkah is known as the Festival of Lights, so let's enjoy the prayer over the lighting of the Hanukkah candles, as sung by none other than Carole King:

And what better to follow that up with than Judy Tellerman's tune, "We Keep The Flame":

Given Judaism's long history of Talmudic scholarship, it should come as no surprise that the idea of a "Festival of Lights" may become subject to a bit of interpretation.  L'Chaim!

And what could be more in keeping with the spirit of the holiday than this song by Peter Himmelman and David Broza, Light Up the World:

And did you know that the world's largest Chanukah Menorah, that is to say, Chanukiah, is located only a few miles away from our congregation in Leonia?  The design was inspired by a hand drawing from Maimonides of the orginal Menorah in the Beit Hamikdosh  or Holy Temple in Jerusalem.  These videos are from 2008:

And how do they light it, you well may ask. Well, here's some amateur footage from just a few days ago, explaining its origins through the Lubavitcher Hasidic sect (views expressed by the Rebbe are not those of our own Reform congregation or movement, but it's always interesting to listen):

And here's one more quick look at a closer angle:

So let your light shine, let it shine on and on, on this festival of lights!  Happy Hanukkah!