Voices of WRJ: Parashat Mikeitz

Today is a very busy and light-filled day in the Hebrew calendar. How fortunate and blessed we are to have so much light adorn our homes, first with the lighting of the sixth candle of Hanukkah and then with the welcoming of Shabbat by lighting her candles, especially since it now gets dark in the late afternoon. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"90266","attributes":{"class":"media-image alignright size-medium wp-image-13142","typeof":"foaf:Image","style":"","width":"300","height":"225","title":"121412-Mikeitz-SaraCharney-MENORAH","alt":""}}]]So, as we are all getting ready our chanukiyot—some made by the kids or grandkids at religious school, others newer and shinier, others much older, I thought I’d share with you some observations about a family heirloom, written by my daughter, Laura, for a first-year undergraduate archeology course:

“…My great grandfather Louis, at age 19, left his town of Berezhany and boarded a boat with one of his brothers, Moshe, headed to Nova Scotia in 1897 with no material reminders of his home life and identity other than a brass chanukiyah. Dark in colour, dirtied by time, with an unshapely façade, this chanukiyah maintains personal significance that is rare. It provides a link to a past in which wealth was sparse and religion provided an optimistic root with which to hold fast. Its understated appearance emphasizes the function of the object, which is religious observance, as opposed to its vanity….

My ancestors all originate from similar backgrounds in Eastern Europe. Whether they came from Poland, Lithuania, or Austria, destitution was eminent and religion played a major common theme. Accordingly, records are sparse: this chanukiyah is one of the few artifacts that is a reminder of my heritage before coming to Canada. It therefore holds substantial meaning to my family: it is both priceless and humbling. Today, chanukiyot are garnished with gold and silver, mirroring the excess of modern consumerist society. The simplicity of this brass chanukiyah is a powerful representation of a more minimalist society, in which, like this crooked candelabra, life was unstable, yet rich in tradition…"

Unfortunately, because the chanukiyah (featured above) is so bent over it would present a fire hazard to actually light candles in it; nonetheless, it does hold a place of honour in our home and is always on the window ledge in our dining room. What archives do you personally treasure? During the winter months, when we tend to stay indoors more, this might be a perfect opportunity for you to do some rummaging, dusting off and fact checking. Are you also aware of the WRJ-American Jewish Archives Centennial Archival Project? Please help WRJ tell the story of the women of the Reform Movement during the past 100 years by helping your sisterhood submit artifacts showcasing their individual history that will become part of the collection.