The Sacred Lights of Chanukah

Floor Speech

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Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I include in the Record a poem submitted at the request of a Virginia Beach constituent, Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman of Temple Lev Tikvah, and are a reflection of his views: The Sacred Lights of Chanukah The fragile yet formidable Chanukah candles We tenderly lit, daringly defy the suffocating Darkness around us and in us, Soothing and softening, we pray, all who Their magic of evoked memories of elation And trepidation with oil--dripping levivot (Potato pancakes) for expectant levavot (Hearts) while partaking of sustaining sweet Sufganiyot (donuts) to counteract the bitterness Of previous and following defeats, Celebrating a temporary victory before the Hasmonians' intra-feuds hastened the demise Of short-lived Jewish sovereignty with warning Lessons for the contemporary scene of mounting Extremism and spreading strife, With hostages in death-filled Gaza darkness Still-second Chanukah's Festival of Lights In captivity, how tragically ironic!--desperately Yearning for liberating light lagging too long Behind and may not come, and for too many Their wondrous light already snuffed out by Those adoring the dark with the candle of each Unique life burning down before its time and Forever lost is that consecrated inner oil, Though only we, today's brave Maccabees, Possess the priestly power to extinguish The miracle of the bright Chanukia (menorah) Embedded deep within us.

Rabbi Dr. Israel Zoberman is the founder of Temple Lev Tikvah in Virginia Beach. Kazakhstan's only born rabbi, he is the son of Polish Holocaust Survivors and spent his early childhood in transit and DP Camps in Austria and Germany. He grew up in Haifa, Israel.

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