Rekindling the Flame of Hope This Chanukah

Every year, the story of Chanukah reminds us that miracles often arrive quietly, without grand spectacle or fanfare. Simple gestures—like filling the menorah with a small supply of oil—can carry extraordinary power. Just as that small act led to a miraculous light that burned for eight nights, Chanukah teaches us that small, steadfast acts of kindness have the potential to become miracles. It is these moments, when ordinary, caring people choose to open their hearts and extend a helping hand, that reveal true divine presence in our world. 

That spirit of quiet, powerful miracles is something I witness every day at Yad Sarah. We lend medical and rehabilitative equipment, operate oxygen filling stations to support those with respiratory needs, offer fall prevention programs, and provide transportation for people with disabilities to ensure they can access essential care, visit friends and relatives, and attend family events. We run a fully accessible wellness center that offers post-surgery rehabilitation, and even a specialized center for women recovering from stillbirth. Through initiatives like our mobile dental clinic, we bring critical dental care directly to homebound individuals who otherwise lack access—an intervention that not only alleviates pain but also improves overall health.

What we’re really doing is enabling these modest miracles: helping people remain independent, restoring dignity, and providing hope. Picture a grandmother who dreads the approaching holiday because her mobility issues will keep her from hosting the family meal she’s been making for decades. Then a volunteer arrives with a walker that’s just right for navigating her apartment’s tight corners, and custom fitted to her height. Suddenly, she’s setting her table, seasoning her soup, and waiting by the door to welcome her children and grandchildren.

Yes, it’s a story of divine intervention. But like the Macabees’ long-lasting oil, it’s also the story of all the human effort that led there—the courage to stand up for what’s right, the choice to keep faith alive in troubled times, and the practical work of preparing the Temple’s menorah. Without finding the container, preparing the wick, and lighting it, there would have been no vessel for the miracle to fill.

Miracles don’t happen in a vacuum. Even when we say “G-d willing,” we’re acknowledging a partnership: G-d provides opportunities, and we human beings have to roll up our sleeves and participate. Chanukah reminds us that sometimes, all it takes is a little empathy, a little effort, and the willingness to recognize that we can be the vehicles through which G-d’s will finds expression in the world.

Chanukah also teaches us that even a small flame can pierce the darkness. More than that, we know that a single candle—the shamash—can share its flame with another candle without losing any of itself to do so. In fact, by lighting that next candle, it creates more light than before. This is the essence of kindness and community service at Yad Sarah – again pointing to the power of small actions and the immense, miraculous-feeling impact they can have. That could mean providing a wheelchair, installing safety rails, or supplying portable oxygen tanks to help someone regain their independence. Other times, it’s as simple as lending an attentive ear and being a source for light and hope.

This Chanukah, I’ll be thinking about all the people who open their doors to Yad Sarah’s volunteers, who find themselves at a crossroads where independence and hope might slip away. In those moments, the people delivering equipment, knowledge, or a helping hand are the ones who keep the holiday’s core values alive in the most tangible way – making a real difference when it’s needed most. Each encounter is another miracle passing on its light, another reason to believe that G-d willing, we can be part of the miracles we pray for.