GUEST COMMENTARY
This year, as Chanukah approaches in the Hill Country, the glow of the menorah feels different — brighter, heavier and somehow more necessary.
The July Fourth floods carved their mark across our communities, sweeping away roads, homes and a sense of normalcy we’d all taken for granted. But as the waters receded, something else rose in their place: a powerful reminder of how deeply we need one another. And that reminder is exactly what Chanukah, at its heart, is all about.
Chanukah is a celebration of light in darkness, resilience in the face of overwhelming odds, and the belief that a small spark can ignite something far greater. For many families here, that message isn’t theoretical this year — it’s lived experience.
The floodwaters tested us, but they also revealed the quiet heroism of neighbors, volunteers, first responders and strangers who showed up with trucks, tools, warm meals, and open hearts. That same spirit of generosity and courage is what the holiday invites us to cultivate and carry forward.
As we gather to light the menorah — whether in our homes, at community events or alongside neighbors still rebuilding — the flames remind us that healing begins with simple acts.
The Maccabees didn’t know the oil would last. They didn’t wait for certainty. They lit the menorah anyway.
In the same way, our community didn’t wait to help one another after the floods. People acted because help was needed, because someone was hurting, because choosing kindness is its own kind of miracle. This Chanukah, that story feels especially close to home.
Spreading light
Each candle of the menorah represents the idea that light is not diminished when it is shared. Instead, it grows.
In the Hill Country, we saw that truth reflected in volunteer brigades forming within hours, in donation drives that filled faster than they could be emptied, and in countless moments of compassion — small, bright sparks in a dark and chaotic week.
Lighting the menorah this year is more than a ritual; it’s a reaffirmation that even when the world feels unsteady, we each have the ability to bring warmth and hope.
Every flame is a reminder that we are responsible for adding light to the world, especially when circumstances make it feel scarce.
Being kind to one another
The floods didn’t discriminate between neighborhoods or backgrounds, and the recovery hasn’t either. One of the most moving things about these last months has been the way people crossed usual boundaries — between congregations, towns, traditions and communities — to support one another.
Chanukah invites us to turn that instinct into intention. Kindness is not an emergency measure but a daily practice. It means checking in on neighbors, supporting local rebuilding efforts, making space for grief and remembering that healing takes time.
It also means being gentle with ourselves. The holidays can stir up a mix of gratitude and heartbreak, and acknowledging both is part of the human experience.
Becoming ambassadors of light
In Jewish tradition, we place the menorah in the window to publicize the miracle, to make the light visible. This year, that symbolism carries a special charge.
We have the chance to be ambassadors of light not just during the holiday, but in the everyday choices we make: the ways we speak to one another, the compassion we extend, the patience we practice and the hope we nurture.
In a year marked by loss, being an ambassador of light means showing the world that our response is not despair but determination; not retreat but rebuilding; not bitterness but generosity. It means remembering that a single flame can chase away a roomful of darkness — and a single act of goodness can inspire many more.
As the candles flicker against the Hill Country night, may we honor both the miracles of long ago and the miracles we have witnessed here: the strength of community, the resilience of the human spirit, and the unwavering belief that light will always return.
Chanukah begins the eve of Dec. 14 through Dec. 22. The community is invited to attend the annual Boerne Chanukah celebration on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m. at Main Plaza. We dedicate the Menorah lighting to those lost in the July Fourth floods and honor our first responders for their acts of kindness.
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