Tonight is the third night of Chanukah. Historically, Chanukah celebrates the rededication of the second temple during the Maccabean revolt. And then there’s the alleged miracle of that bit of lamp oil lasting so long, for eight days - like InsightLA running on fumes and lasting 20 years. A true miracle! I love the symbolism of light at the darkest time of year in the Northern Hemisphere, the winter solstice 🌒. Chanukah is the festival of lights! A holiday can represent many things; for me, lighting candles in the menorah 🕎 is a blessing: light is born, then the flame burns all the way down and vanishes, like our life. Impermanence is a core Buddhist teaching. I was born into a Jewish family, yet Buddhadharma has been the foundation of my adult life. How do I hold my Jewish roots and Buddhist practices simultaneously? How do you hold whatever ancestral tradition you’re born into along with your chosen path? Listen to your intuitive heart. I use my intuitive heart to guide me towards the light in each tradition. For reform Jews like my family, Chanukah is a time to gather with family, eat potato latkes, and share gifts. I cherish my ancestry’s tradition of spiritual life centered in the family. You can find your own spiritual meaning in the holidays of your ancestors and engage with them respectfully, right alongside the love you have for your chosen path. I wish you all a very Happy Chanukah – whether you celebrate Christmas or Kwanzaa or Eid or winter solstice, I send you an abundance of love and light during this holiday season! #happyhanukkah #festivaloflights #light #love #abundance