I met a Holocaust survivor who shared with me an unforgettable story—a story about courage, faith, and the enduring flame of the human spirit. He had been just 11 years old in Auschwitz when the camps were liberated. There, amidst the darkness and despair, he and his ailing father clung to each other for survival. One day, while he was away fetching something to ease his father’s suffering, he returned to find his father gone forever. Frantic and heartbroken, he was comforted by an elderly man in the barrack—a sage-like figure who reminded him of the message of Chanukah: even in the darkest times, we have the power to light a flame.
Moved by these words, the boy resolved to honor his father by lighting a makeshift menorah. With scraps of material and oil pilfered from the camp’s kitchen, he prepared to kindle a Chanukah light. But before they could light it, a Nazi guard confiscated their materials and punished the elderly man. As the guard dragged the man away, he held the boy’s hand and left him with one final, powerful message: “We may not have lit the physical flame, but we lit the flame of resolve, faith, and spirit. The strongest flames are the ones that cannot be extinguished because they burn invisibly within us. Hold on to that flame, and it will carry you to freedom.”
Sixty years later, the survivor shared this story with me. Though the physical flames of Chanukah may flicker and fade, their essence—the ninth, invisible flame—burns eternally in our hearts and souls. It is the flame of resilience, of sacrifice, of unwavering faith that sustains us through generations. This flame cannot be dimmed by the forces of oppression or the passage of time. It is our duty to carry it forward, to tell its story, and to pass it on to our children, ensuring that its light dispels the darkness in every corner of the world.
Chanukah may end, but the flame continues. Let it illuminate not just our lives but the entire world, transforming shadows into light and despair into hope. May we all be blessed to carry this flame, until the day its light envelops all of existence in eternal brilliance. Happy Chanukah!
Such a beautiful message and title: “The 9th Candle.”: The eternal flame is not physical but rather it is spiritual. Each Jewish soul must light the invisible flame within, the 9th candle, to transform apathy to alacrity, sitting on the sidelines to active participation, shunning the idea of G-d chas v’shalom to forming a connection with Him. The time is ripe for change—for transformation. Become part of the Redemptive spirit and know that we are being summoned by Hashem to look inward and shine our light outward—from the inside out with decorum, quiet conviction, and a loving relationship with the Creator, Who is asking, “Where are all My children?”
Such a beautiful message and title: “The 9th Candle.”: The eternal flame is not physical but rather it is spiritual. Each Jewish soul must light the invisible flame within, the 9th candle, to transform apathy to alacrity, sitting on the sidelines to active participation, shunning the idea of G-d chas v’shalom to forming a connection with Him. The time is ripe for change—for transformation. Become part of the Redemptive spirit and know that we are being summoned by Hashem to look inward and shine our light outward—from the inside out with decorum, quiet conviction, and a loving relationship with Hashem, the Creator of the world, Who is asking, “Where are all My children?”