Adapted from Shaarei Simcha—Gates of Joy, by Adena Berkowitz and Rivka Haut.

First Night

Without question, this Chanukah stands in stark contrast to how we gathered last year to celebrate the Festival of Lights. A year ago, we most likely attended communal candle lightings, parties and other large gatherings with family and friends and the wider Jewish community. That memory can lead us to feel sad about the difference in this year’s celebrations. And yet, Jewish history provides a template for us. In the words of Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, Jews can never despair and never give up. We have come through, over thousands of years, so many trials and tribulations—including the struggle of the Maccabees to overcome their Syrian oppressors. Tonight we recite the Shehechiyanu, the traditional prayer that recognizes our gratitude and appreciation of reaching this moment in our lives of celebrating another Chanukah. It is especially significant amidst all the anxiety and travails we have gone through. Make it a point to reach out via Zoom, FaceTime or phone call to friends and relatives and wish them a Happy Chanukah. Think of people who have been ill or lost loved ones who would welcome hearing from you. And if you are kicking off the holiday with latkes and sufganiyot (Israeli-style donuts), why not make some extras to drop off to doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers as an expression of appreciation for giving so much of themselves during this ongoing pandemic.

Second Night

Friday night is the start of Shabbat and the perfect moment to reflect how we can reach out to not-yet-affiliated friends, family or neighbors and share our joy of Judaism. We can’t host people at our Shabbat tables, but why not deliver some challah, candles and grape juice to someone you know who would be open to some outreach. At the same time, let’s enhance our Shabbat table with extra words of Torah. We can put to good use all the Zoom shiurim and lectures we may have been tuning in to. If we are soloing at our table, email someone before Shabbat with a good morsel of Torah that can enhance their celebration of Shabbat.

Third Night

Start the new week off with a l’chaim, a toast, to the state of Israel, a true miracle in our time. As the late Prime Minister David Ben Gurion once said, being a realist in Israel means believing in miracles. Whatever our political persuasions or viewpoints, make this a night of celebration. Let’s call a friend or relative in Israel and wish them a Happy Chanukah. Make a pledge (for when the pandemic is over/vaccines are available) to visit or revisit Israel and make our voices heard in support of the Jewish state. Let’s fill our tables with Israeli food and wine—and don’t forget along with the latkes, some sufganiyot (for some of us, we will start our diets another night!). Shavua tov!

Fourth Night

This is a night to dedicate to reaching out to those who are soloing at home. Make a time to come by and stand outside their home or apartment and wish them a happy Chanukah and see their lit Chanukah candles. This is a way to not only help them fulfill the mitzvah of pirsumei neesa, publicizing the holiday, but to alleviate feelings of loneliness.

Fifth Night

This is the night to emphasize chesed: What can we do to help those less fortunate—the poor, the hungry or victims of violence? Down the road, volunteer opportunities will, b’ezrat Hashem, become available again. Make a pledge to volunteer at a soup kitchen, increase our donations to tzedaka or practice some instant chesed and buy some extra gloves, mittens and knit hats to distribute to those in need.

Sixth Night

As we celebrate Rosh Chodesh Tevet, make this a night dedicated to increasing and reenergizing our Torah study. Let’s make a promise, bli neder, that this will be the year that we dedicate ourselves to making more time on a weekly basis for Jewish learning—for example, joining a study group or participating online with Jewish learning sites. There is so much available through Zoom, it is an embarrassment of riches! And not only for men—there are more and more opportunities for women’s learning programs as well. Finally, let’s not forget that Jewish educational institutions need our support, whether through our financial donations or through using our brain power to see how we can help make them more affordable for all.

Seventh Night

The Talmud teaches that what leaves our mouth is as important as what enters. Let’s make a promise to refrain from idle speech. Gossip is so harmful and its effects are wide reaching. Many of us are familiar with the following story: A man once came to a rabbi to say he wanted to make amends for something derogatory he had said about a neighbor and wanted to know how he could make it up to the neighbor. The rabbi told him to take a feather pillow and go to the center of town, open it up and as the feathers floated away make sure to grab every one and put them back into the pillow. The man protested to the rabbi that that would be impossible as the wind would invariably carry some away and he couldn’t grab all of them. The rabbi pointed out to him that gossip and slander function the same way—once they are out of the bag, so to speak, the effects are so far reaching that we can never fully repair the damage.

Eighth Night

The last night/day of Chanukah is called “Zos Chanukah” because on the eighth day of Chanukah, the Torah reading includes the words “Zot Chanukah hamizbeach”—this was the dedication of the Temple. In chasidic tradition, it is considered the extra last chance we have to make amends—so if there is someone we wronged, let’s make an effort to patch things up. It also then serves as a perfect opportunity to dedicate ourselves to loving all Jews. Tradition teaches us that the Second Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed 2,000 years ago because of boundless hate. So tonight on the last night of Chanukah, as we recall the rededication of the Temple, let’s make it a night of boundless love for all Jews no matter what their affiliation. Let’s find ways to reach across denominational divides and strengthen our ties and love for all Jews. Remember what unites us is greater than what divides us. And most of all, be happy—it’s Chanukah!

Rabbanit Adena Berkowitz is scholar-in-residence at Kol HaNeshamah (NYC) and senior scholar at the Manhattan Jewish Experience. She is the co-author of “Shaarei Simcha—Gates of Joy,” a mini siddur, as well as the best-selling “The Jewish Journey Haggadah.” Rivka Haut, z”l, was a lifelong agunah activist and in addition to “Shaarei Simcha,” she was the co-author of “Daughters of the King: Women of the Synagogue.”