Dear TEE community,

One of my happiest childhood memories is walking home from school on a snowy afternoon, anticipating our family Hanukkah celebration. I grew up at a time when Hanukkah was still pretty low key and the presents I got were things like coloring books and the crayons to go with them. Or, disappointingly, clothing. But there was something about the ritual of song and candle lighting which brought a deep sense of warmth and comfort to me on those winter nights.

During the pandemic, our community found a way to stay connected through a nightly Zoom gathering to light our candles together. We created a new tradition which has given me the same sense of well-being and I look forward to sharing it with you one more time before my departure. I’m so grateful for this ritual we built together, and I look forward to carrying its spirit with me as I move forward. I also very much hope I will have the chance to see many of you in person at our Hanukkah party on the 14th.

The Hanukkah story teaches us about rededication—about reclaiming and renewing what matters most. The Maccabees found the Temple desecrated and seemingly lost, yet what made its rededication possible was not the building itself, but the community that gathered to restore it. As I reflect on my ten years with you, I want to acknowledge the dedication that has brought us forward —in your acts of kindness, your commitment to the work of building community, your willingness to show up for one another, especially in difficult times. As we approach this transition together, I invite you to see it not as an ending, but as an opportunity for rededication. Just as we celebrate the Maccabees recommitment at this season, you are being called to deepen your relationships with one another, to renew your commitment to the values that have always animated this community, and to discover new and vibrant ways to live out your collective mission.

This Hanukkah, as we gather to light candles together—whether in person at our party or in the quiet of our homes—I hope you will feel the warmth of a community that has stood together through celebration and challenge alike. The light we have kindled here will not dim. It will travel with me to my new congregation, and it will continue to burn brightly in each of you as you move forward. I am profoundly grateful for the privilege of serving alongside you, and I am filled with deep confidence in the strength and spirit that will guide you moving ahead.

with all good wishes for a season of light,
Rabbi Drorah Setel