By Vivien Hoexter
Deputy Executive Director
I look for holiness in small acts every day. It has taken me a long time to learn to do this. When I was younger, I was in a hurry all the time and barely stopped to say “hello” to the friendly door people I passed or the superintendent raking leaves or watering the plants outside our building. I could not even tell you now what the hurry was about. It was simply my default way of being.
Today, I treasure the interactions I have with the neighbors in our building, the clerks at the stores we frequent, and the waiters at our favorite restaurants. I can never know what all their daily challenges are, but I can be friendly and perhaps encourage them to smile. These moments are holy because they form a web that connects us in a city infamous for its ability to create isolation and loneliness.
Why is it important to remember that small acts are sacred around Chanukah? At this time of year, as the nights grow longer and colder, lighting the menorah is a powerful reminder that even small acts can have great impact. Each candle we light not only commemorates the resilience and faith of our ancestors but also demonstrates how small, meaningful actions can dispel darkness and foster connection. These traditions—lighting Chanukah candles, singing familiar songs—connect us to our history and to one another, reinforcing the idea that miracles, both great and small, are possible when we attempt to authentically connect to one another.
