No menorah? No problem: Chabad’s video program brings Hanukkah to all

Bringing light to all: Chabad’s Hanukkah video program shares joy and meaning in spaces where candles can’t burn.

By RAQUEL GUERTZENSTEIN FROHLICH DECEMBER 26, 2024 01:25

Chabad on Call. (photo credit: Chabad on Call)

For those unable to light their own menorahs this year, Chabad has a solution—a Hanukkah video program with messages of hope, resilience, and Jewish pride.

The 40-minute video, titled "8 Nights, Lights, & Insights" and produced by Merkos 302’s Chabad on Call, is intended for hospitals and nursing homes “where traditional candles can't burn.” The initiative also includes resources for promoting the program in the community and approaching hospital administrators, the statement said. 

"Traditional candle lighting isn't possible in many healthcare settings," said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, the executive director of Merkos 302 and one of the featured presenters. "But the essence of Hanukkah—the light that persists against all odds—can still shine brightly in these spaces.”

Light against all odds

A preview of the program on YouTube features clips of various presenters, including Fleishigs magazine editor Shifra Klein, explaining why we eat foods cooked in oil during Hanukkah, IDF Sgt. First Class Yossi Bluming speaking of the gift of a Hanukkah day, and Rabbi Yehoshua Soudakoff of the Jewish Deaf Foundation signing a message.

“Sometimes we’re looking for light, for inspiration, outside,” Soudakoff signed. “But we, each of us, really are the light ourselves.” 

In one segment, children also presented holiday messages. 

“As Jews, we live by the rule of ma’alim ba’kodesh,” they said. “And that’s why we count upward, always adding more light and goodness to the world.” 

The program was designed for healthcare settings, the statement said, but can be implemented beyond that to ensure “no one misses out on the warmth and joy of the holiday.”

"We're seeing Chabad emissaries sharing these messages with community members who might be homebound or simply seeking an additional way to connect with the holiday's meaning," said Chani Goldberg, the director of Chabad on Call.