This year join millions of Jewish families around the world lighting the menorah candles of Hanukkah. Traditionally the center candle, the shammash, is used to light all others, starting with one candle the first night of Hanukkah and adding one each of the remaining seven nights. Your family could follow this tradition, or light them all on the first night of Hanukkah with the following ceremony, which was written by and for staff members at the Unitarian Universalist Association in Boston. It was conducted at the weekly chapel service during Hanukkah in 1996.

About 2,150 years ago, Palestine was under the rule of the Syrian Empire. The temples of the Jewish people had been desecrated. They were forced to worship Greek gods, to sacrifice what was to them the most unclean of animals--swine--and were forbidden to circumcise their male children.
Judah, who was called the Maccabee, led a revolt against the Syrian emperor, Antiochus Epiphanes. He had a small band of followers which could not confront the Syrian military directly, but he used guerrilla warfare to wage his battle, and he prevailed.
It was largely a fight for religious freedom. When Judah defeated the Syrians and re-entered Jerusalem, he ordered the temple cleansed and rededicated.
This involved rekindling the eternal flame. Sacred oil had to be prepared as fuel for the flame. But it took eight days to prepare the oil.
According to tradition, a small amoung of sacred oil, sufficient for one day, was found hidden in the temple. So the lamp was kindled and, miraculously, continued to burn for eight days--long enough for a new supply of oil to be prepared.
So it is that the Hanukkah candles are kindled, and additional candle each night, for eight nights.
We begin by lighting the servant candle. It is called the "shamus," which means "to serve." As one candle may kindle others and not lose its light, so may the example and experience of others in all times and places kindle the light which connects us to one another, across generations, across cultures.
Reader 1
The first light is for the source of our highest values, that which gives meaning to our lives. The sage Lao Tzu reminds us that "The Way that can be told of is not the eternal Way; the name that can be named in not the eternal name. The Nameless is the origin of Heaven and Earth; the Named is the mother of all things."
Reader 2
The second light is for the great religious teachers and scriptures from all lands and traditions, which illuminate our paths as we search for truth and meaning in our lives. One of these, the Gita, has this wisdom for us: "Better one's own duty, tough and imperfect, than another's duty, well performed."
Reader 3
The third light is the light of justice. No nation can long endure which is unjust to the weak. "Justice, always justice shalt thou pursue," are the words of Moses.
Reader 4
The fourth light is the light of mercy. Cruelty hardens our hearts and destroys relationships. "Do justly and love mercy," are the words of Micah.
Reader 5
The fifth light is the light of holiness. When we intentionally live so as to nourish wonder and respect, we make all of life sacred. Siddhartha Gauthama, the Buddha, has said, "If in the hand there be no wound, one may hold poison in the hand. No poison follows where there is no wound; there is no evil for one who commits none."
Reader 6
The sixth light is the light of love. The modern prophet Antoine de Saint-Exupery defined love not as "gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction. There is no comradeship except through union in the same high effort."
Reader 7
The seventh is the light of patience. Nothing can be achieved in haste. Gandhi defined patience as self-suffering. He said, "I discovered...that the pursuit of truth [does] not permit violence being inflicted on one's opponent, but that he must be weaned from error by patience and sympathy. For what appears truth to the one may appear to be error to the other."
Reader 8
The eighth light is the light of courage. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness," said Jesus of Nazareth, "for in them is the power of heaven."

May these lights burn bright in our hearts, this day and throughout this holiday time.

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Last updated May 24, 2002 by clf@uua.org