Spirit Week: A Celebration of Light

Outside, it is cold and dreary, wind searing the windows in an attempt to penetrate the impenetrable wall of light and warmth that permeates inside.  Glowing lights dance to the tunes of songs that are illuminated by the lively chatter of friends and teachers, as the waft of toasty latkes and applesauce drifts by a festive table.  The atmosphere of Chanukah is one that we all love, and one that North Shore harnessed with its festive events of school Spirit Week.

Each day featured a fun-filled event that brought the theme of the holiday closer to all of our “senses”: On Monday we explored our sense of delight with an incredible talent show, Tuesday embodied our sense of exhaustion as we went through the school day in pajamas, Wednesday burst our eardrums with a festive Chagiga, and Thursday overloaded our senses with the sights and smells of the American Dream mall. One of the most anticipated times of the year, Spirit Week certainly met expectations. 

Even so, this year's festivities didn't come quite as easily. It is difficult to recount the activities without a small twinge of guilt, as I question how we can justify celebrating, and how we can understand such a joyful experience, while simultaneously lamenting the situation in Israel.

Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that Chanukah is a story of identity and survival as a nation.  As a Jewish nation in the 2nd century BCE, we continued our Torah studies in the face of tyranny.  As American Jews in the 21st century, we displayed our survival through an action as simple as walking into the American Dream mall wearing a skirt or a Kippah, going about our daily activities in the face of anti-Semitism.  When we celebrated this year, it was not in undermining the tragedy, but in spite of it. Most people tell the story of Chanukah as one of triumph, but perhaps this year, we had to accept the coexistence of darkness with light.

Chanukah may be over, but unfortunately, the fight for our existence as a nation is not. As we reflect on last week's holiday festivities and the light that they brought, we can continue to be inspired by the spirit of our North Shore community, and our Jewish community as a whole.