A Light in the Darkness
“Wherever an Israelite slave went, a light went with them”
We’re surrounded by darkness, long grey days with little sunshine, and very little social interaction, and the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel seems rather far off. Next Wednesday it is Holocaust Memorial Day - commemorating the liberation and the opening of the gates of the Auschwitz concentration camp, and the day also commemorates subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur. The days feel dark. The Torah reading this week, tells us of the three, terrifying, last plagues before the Israelites were allowed to flee into the desert, one of those a darkness so thick that it paralyzed people.
And yet, amongst the darkness there was light. A midrash tells the story of how all the children of Israel had light in their homes, while the rest of Egypt was plunged into paralyzing darkness. The story does not say that there was light ‘in the Israelite’s neighbourhood’, but rather in their homes which some interpret to mean that wherever an Israelite slave went - a light followed and illuminated them. This is a beautiful image, that in each of us there’s a spark to illuminate the darkness, wherever there is oppression there is also light. Like the ancient Israelites we all have the power to bring light to others who are in darkness, we have the potential to help others find their own light.
One way we can do this by remembering those who ‘who've 'been the light' before, during and after genocide, through resistance, solidarity and illuminating mistruths’, which is the theme of this years Holocaust Memorial Day. On Wednesday 27th January we will light candles and place them in the windows, and the Chaverim groups will all be making Candles of Hope to celebrate the people who light up our darkness.They can choose a family member, close friend, key-worker or an inspirational role model. It's up to them. Visit the website to make one yourself or be inspired by the stories of those who helped others despite the dangers.
On Thursday 28th January it is very fittingly Tu B’shvat, the day of celebrating trees and their growth, and by extension nature and wildlife. It is also a good time to renew our pledges and actions to minimise our own impact, and to help those who are working on combating climate change. And so in the darkness, from the darkness we can find light and life.
In the words of Amanda Gorman's poem The Hill We Climb; “The new dawn blooms as we free it. For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it”.
‘Vayehi Or’ - let there be light.