A Message from Rabbi Bellows

December 21, 2025 /1 Tevet 5786

Dear Friends,

It was an honor (and fun) last week to be part of Cook County’s Hanukkah and Kwanzaa celebration of Light. Each County Commissioner and the County President expressed strong support for the Jewish community in their respective addresses. It was a meaningful and wonderful event of solidarity and friendship across different cultures and traditions. If you are interested in reading my 3-minute D’var Torah, it is here:

Thank you, President Preckwinkle, the Commissioners, distinguished guests, and the people of Cook County.

It is truly a joy to be here, gathered across traditions, cultures, and stories, to celebrate light—especially at a time of year when the days are short, the nights are long, and the world feels a bit heavy.

In Judaism, before the commandments, laws, stories, or prayers, we have light. In the third verse of the Torah, we read: “God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw that the light was good.” It is light itself that makes creation possible. Our tradition teaches that as light illumines the world, there is a spark of the divine light within each of us. To continue, click here

Blessings for a light-filled Hanukkah and holiday season!

Rabbi Bellows