A Bright Start to 2025!

January 1, 2025 | 1 Tevet 5785

Hello and Happy New Year!!

I’m not sure I remember a Hanukkah that was so late it ended in January. However, I love it. Today we not only enter into 2025, but we get to welcome it in on the brightest night of Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights! 

Like many of us might do this time of year, I’ve been spending time reflecting on my year. I’ve identified my eight brightest lights of 2024. This moments in time are a little bit of everything. Notable travel experiences to Seattle, Paris, and a cross country road trip certainly make the cut. Placing third in my second triathlon ever. Leading a session at the Women of Reform Judaism conference in New Orleans, and creating a OneTable Shabbat in collaboration with my close friend, Spencer, on the last leg of our road trip in Atlanta. Ending the year with a passing score on my social work exam to get my LMSW! 

While there are many lights of this past year, my point actually isn’t to tell you all about them. My point is that I see the eighth night of Hanukkah on January 1st as an invitation. An invitation to continue finding the bright lights in your life, in this new year and beyond. We don’t really have to wait until the last week of December to reflect and give a thumbs up (or thumbs down) to the year we’ve just had. Why not continue to notice the happy, memorable, life changing moments as they happen? 

Today is also the first of the new lunar month, Tevet. As we exit the month of Kislev, all about finding the light in the darkness, Tevet comes with themes of darkness. Winter has arrived and we may start to feel the seasonal depression that comes with the cold weather, the early sunset, and the post holiday hangover. 

So my invitation for you, on this final night of Hanukkah, and first day of 2025 is to notice the bright lights in your life as they happen. Celebrate the big and little moments. Express gratitude for your people near and far. If you’re debating whether or not you want to ignite something that has potential to be a bright moment, do it. Sometimes you have to give things a shot, ignite the light, and see what happens. It might become an extra bright light that you didn’t even expect. 

My 2024 started filled with memorable moments, and also some dark challenges. As I navigating them, I began to discover what was important to me, and how to stay true to myself in the process. Reflecting on my bright lights shows me that even in the darkest of times, there is still so much light to be grateful for, and that’s really what matters most at the end of the day. 

I wish each of you the brightest start to this year. I’ll be sharing my light with each of you along the way. I have a good feeling about this one. 

Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year! 

Ethically, 

Emily