Thanksgivukkah: If Not Now When?

As everybody seems to know at this point (please, no more emails about how this happens once every 70,000 years) we are witnessing, literally, a once in a lifetime event unfold on the Jewish calendar with the overlap of Chanukah and Thanksgiving. At first glance it would seem that these holidays are as far apart in theme as they normally are on the calendar. However, as bizarre as it is to experience them at the same time, at the same feast nonetheless, it's actually a wonderful realization that they are not mutually exclusive. Indeed Chanukah and Thanksgiving are necessary opposites complimenting, not contradicting, one another.

Chanukah, contrary to popular understanding doesn't celebrate "oneness" or "sameness" (there is no Chrismakah) but rather celebrates our unique, distinct Jewish identity. Being separate, being distinct, being different isn't something to shun. On the contrary, it's something worthy of celebration. After all, isn't this what we try to instill within our children -- not to be like everyone else, not to blend in, not to go along with the crowd? Rather, we charge them to stand up for themselves, stand out and be themselves even if, especially if, that means being different. Chanukah is a reminder that our unique identity, both collectively as the Jewish people and individually as Jews, is something to literally "dedicate" our lives to preserving and celebrating.

Thanksgiving, however, is a holiday reminding us that beyond our distinctions and differences we are one; Jewish, Christian, Muslim or Atheist, suburbanite or urbanite, red state, blue state, white, brown or black skin, regardless of what divides us, our states are united, our stories all converge, and ultimately we are one.

So which is it? Are we Jews or are we Americans? Are we individuals or are we a community. Are we separate or are we united? And the answer to all of these is, of course, yes, or in n the words of Hillel:

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?" (Ethics of the Fathers, 1:1)

To be in a relationship, any relationship, we need a sense of self. A healthy marriage isn't two halves merging to become one whole. Rather, we need a sense of uniqueness, of distinctness, of individuality to be whole. To run around doing tikun olam -- fixing the world without first doing tikun nefesh -- fixing ourselves, is a guaranteed recipe for falling apart.

And yet, if we are only individuals, only in it for ourselves, by ourselves, we will never be whole. Indeed, there is a great big olam out there to be a part of as well as to fix. We need to merge our lives with others, join our stories with brothers and sisters, unite our states: West coast, East coast and yes New Yorkers, there are states in the middle too.

So put on your yarmulke cause here comes Chanukah -- a time to celebrate our uniqueness, separations and individuality as we pass the latkes. But it's also a time to pass the turkey and the gravy as we celebrate our oneness and universality. Life is not either/or. Identity is not one or the other. Rather, is is both/and, and both Chanukah and Thanksgiving are here, now. If not now, when? In 70,000 years, that's when, so enjoy the turkey-latke-once-in-a-liftetime combo while it lasts.

Happy Thanksgivukkah,

Rabbi B

Baruch HaLevi
www.RabbiB.com
www.RevolutionOfJewishSpirit.com

My New Book:
Revolution of the Jewish Spirit: How to Revive Ruakh in Your Spiritual Life, Transform Your Synagogue & Inspire Your Jewish Community [Paperback & Kindle] Rabbi Baruch HaLevi and Ellen Frankel, Jewish Lights