Given the high cost of airline tickets to Israel and limited flights as a result of the current situation, rather than traveling there to present at a conference, I opted to stay closer to home and send a recorded presentation I had given at Columbia University a week earlier.

Instead, I headed to Washington, D.C., where I’ve been invited each year to participate in a bipartisan Hanukkah celebration at the Library of Congress. This year, as in previous years, my friend and colleague Laurence Bazer lit the Hanukkiah. However, this year’s gathering was different. It included the presence of two families whose loved ones are still held hostage in Gaza: Romi Gonen’s sister and Aviva Seigel and her family.  Aviva, was herself a hostage for 50 days before her release, while her husband Keith remains captive.

On my way to D.C., I stopped in Gettysburg, the site of the largest and most decisive battle of the U.S. Civil War. That battle symbolized America’s commitment to its charter — to be the land of the free. Standing there, I reflected on the parallels between Jewish and American values. That same Shabbat, we read the story of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers — a defining moment of internal division in Jewish history. As highlighted in the Talmud, this act of betrayal has become the ultimate symbol of the sin between man and man — selling our own into slavery. In fact, the story of Hanukkah itself is a tale of liberation from both religious and physical oppression. The observance serves as a poignant reminder of the values we share with Israel and the importance of standing united. The story also brought to mind the current reality of hostages still held in Gaza and the shared conviction by Israel and America that no one should ever be enslaved. Both countries are willing to fight — and even die — for this cause.

The events of October 7 and their aftermath have further underscored the need for unity with Israel. For years, Jewish communities in the Diaspora have debated whether to continue observing the second day of holidays, a ritual not followed in Israel. In many congregations, including ours, services are held only on the first day, yet the second day is still fully honored as a holiday. Others have abandoned the practice altogether, given that the original purpose of the second day — allowing time to notify communities about the new moon — has been rendered obsolete by our fixed calendar.

As someone born in Israel, I have never objected to the two-day observance. I view it as a gift — an extra holiday to cherish. What does disturb me is that observing two days puts us out of sync with Israel. At times, this has led to us reading different Torah portions or observing holiday rituals while Israel had already returned to weekday life. After October 7, it has become even clearer to me that there should no longer be any “daylight” between Israel and the Jewish Diaspora. What happens in Israel affects us here immediately, and vice versa. I propose that our congregation consider adopting the practice of observing one-day holidays in alignment with Israel, allowing us to be on the same page both literally and figuratively. This idea has been discussed at Ritual Committee meetings, and I would like to bring it forward at the next congregation meeting in March 2025.

Wishing you a Happy Hanukkah, and hoping that in 2025 all of us can all be on the same page of freedom.

—Text and photo by Rabbi Gadi Capela