Jewish Sources

Hanukkah

Hanukkah (Chanukah) is the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods.

The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication,” and is thus named because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple (as you’ll read below). Also spelled Hanukkah (or variations of that spelling), the Hebrew word is actually pronounced with a guttural, “kh” sound, kha-nu-kah, not tcha-new-kah.

A New Song

Like Harry Potter, Melody Wheaton is an orphaned kid who doesn't fit in--not into her freezing Midwestern town or the even colder relatives she lives with. All she knows is that she's different, and that nobody liked her dead mother because she was Jewish (whatever that means). Only music and her best friend Zoe keep her going.

But then life hits rock bottom. When a mysterious letter arrives out of the blue, Melody finally finds a way to answer some of her many questions, and a path to escape into a new world she finds often baffling and sometimes magical. In the process, she discovers a new family and her own true self.

Majesty and Humility: The Thought of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik

Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik was not only one of the outstanding Talmudists and religious leaders of the 20th century, but also one of its most creative and seminal Jewish thinkers. This comprehensive study of Rabbi Soloveitchik's religious philosophy offers a broad perspective and balanced understanding of his work. By interpreting and analyzing both individual essays and overarching themes in an accessible and engaging manner, it uncovers the depth, majesty, and fascination of his thought.