by Bat-El Lieberman, Keshet Director of Jewish Life
This week, Keshet celebrated the graduation of the first cohort of our Adult Jewish Education course, a remarkable program offered by the Florence Melton Center for Jewish Education in collaboration with Matan. The final class took place during Hanukkah and focused on the theme of miracles.
As part of our learning, we spoke about the many miracles and wonders that exist in our lives, both big and small. I invited participants to share what a “miracle” means to them. Their responses were deeply moving. For some, being part of Keshet’s GADOL adult day program feels like a miracle. For others, gathering with family every Shabbat is a miracle. One participant shared, half joking and half dreaming, that a future trip to a kosher McDonald’s in Israel with me, when we are both old, would be his miracle (Alex, I can’t wait to share that kosher Happy Meal with you!).
These reflections highlighted an important truth: there are miracles we can help create, and others that are beyond our control.
At Keshet, we work every day to create meaningful experiences, joy, connection, and opportunity. If being part of our community feels like a miracle to someone, we will continue to dream big and do everything in our power to make those dreams come true. If the miracle is traveling to Israel, sharing a meal, learning, celebrating, or belonging, we are here to make it happen. At Keshet, we believe deeply in dreaming big, and when a meaningful experience or sense of belonging feels like a miracle, we commit ourselves to helping make it real.
Hanukkah the season of nissim, miracles, and fittingly, something extraordinary happened at Keshet this very week, the week of Hanukkah!
Keshet is always growing. Part of that growth meant daring to dream as big as a new building, a new home and community center. To keep our light shining, we needed more “oil,” more space. About two years ago, in what can only be described as a miraculous chain of events, we found it: a building large enough to hold countless dreams and future miracles.
The story of how this building came to be ours is itself a true nes, a miracle, unfolding over just 72 hours and involving generous hearts, unexpected challenges and even a cyberattack. That story deserves its own article.
This week, during Hanukkah, the holiday that celebrates Chanukat HaBayit, the rededication of the Temple, we began demolition on our new building in order to rebuild and rededicate it as Keshet’s new home. How symbolic. A building born of dreams, made possible through both human effort and forces beyond our control.
Some miracles require strength and action. Others require spirit.
This week, after reading Parashat Miketz, we conclude with words from the prophet Zechariah (4:6):
“Not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, said the God of Hosts.”
Sometimes dreams need effort, planning, and determination. But true miracles, those that sustain us, are born of ruach, of spirit.
May this Hanukkah remind us of the miracles we can create and the light we continue to bring into the world.
Chag Hanukkah Sameach!
