Rabbi's Chayva's Chat

As the days grow shorter, the glow of Chanukah is just around the corner! Next Wednesday night, we’ll light the first candle, celebrating the miracles of courage, community, and hope that continue to inspire us today.  

I’m thrilled to share that we’ve added a new event to our Chanukah festivities: lighting the South San Francisco Menorah! Join us in the Winter Garden of the Library | Parks & Recreation Center (901 Civic Campus Way, South San Francisco), which is the same location as last year’s event. The city is generously providing donuts, coffee, and a sound system, ensuring Chanukah is honored even though their offices are closed. We’re so grateful for this partnership and look forward to celebrating together.  

Looking ahead, a quick note about services on January 3-4: for those not attending our retreat at Camp Newman, services will be Zoom-only. We’ll ensure a seamless experience for everyone, whether you’re joining us from home or the retreat.  

Finally, I want to add that on Friday night, we will bring some fun new melodies into the service: since we’ll begin Joseph’s story in this week’s Torah portion, we will sing some of Kabbalat Shabbat to the tunes from the musical “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

Wishing you a Chanukah filled with light, bravery, kindness, and miracles—big and small. And for those in interfaith families or friend groups, a warm and joyful Christmas as well!  

L’chag urim sameach, To a happy holiday of light,

Rabbi Chayva