Archive for 2018

8 Videos for 8 Days of Happiness

8 Videos for 8 Days of Happiness

This post contains a series of eight thoughtful, one-minute-long, animated videos exploring various Hannukah themes from a psychological, relationship-focused perspective. The first video, featured above, discusses the centrality of family cohesion and home life in Jewish tradition and

Judith & The Hannukah Story

Judith & The Hannukah Story

Produced by the Jewish Women’s Archive, this informative video (02:24) emphasizes the feminist Jewish history angle of the Hannukah story, briefly telling the story of the Book of Judith, where a brave young widow

The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Letter Initiating Public Hannukah Candle Lightings

The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Letter Initiating Public Hannukah Candle Lightings

In this moving video (04:09), people take turns reading a letter from Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson in which he explains the importance of lighting Hannukah candles in public spaces as a symbol of the triumph

Hannukah: Tap into the Light

Hannukah: Tap into the Light

In this inspiring video (02:20), Rabbi Yitzchak Botton explains that Hannukah is not the commemoration of a one-time historical event, but rather the opportunity to tap into a revelation of divine light that

How Holidays of Light Make Hanukkah Brighter: In Talmudic & Modern Times

How Holidays of Light Make Hanukkah Brighter: In Talmudic & Modern Times

In this interesting video (03:36), Rabbi Judith Hauptman explores the Talmudic references to Hannukah, suggesting that the significance of the minor Jewish holiday has always been aggrandized due to its proximity to other

Menorah vs. Channukiah

Menorah vs. Channukiah

In this short video (01:15), Joshua Mallett clearly explains the difference between the 7-branched menorah lit in the ancient Temple and the 9-branched channukiah lit on Hannukah. Reviewing the biblical origins of the menorah

Carrying the Torch: The Menorah and the Eternal Jewish People

Carrying the Torch: The Menorah and the Eternal Jewish People

In this moving video (03:53), Rabbi Yaakov Cohen attributes the miraculous spiritual and physical survival of the Jewish people throughout history to the eternal commitment to the Torah, symbolized by the menorah. He tells how a

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: 8 Thoughts for 8 Nights

Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: 8 Thoughts for 8 Nights

This post contains a series of eight 2-3 minute-long, thought-provoking videos in which Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the previous Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, explores various Hannukah themes. The first video, featured above, discusses the power of

Ben Shapiro: The Story & Takeaways of Hannukah

Ben Shapiro: The Story & Takeaways of Hannukah

In this short informative video (01:55), Ben Shapiro provides a quick historical overview of the history of Hannukah, emphasizing the political dynamics within the Jewish community, as well as between the Jewish and Seleucid

An Animated Story of Hannukah for Kids

An Animated Story of Hannukah for Kids

Produced by Speakaboos, an educational company promoting children’s literacy, this short animated video (02:15) presents the Hannukah story and the historical origins of the holiday. Although the video was created for children, it is