Possessing God's light -- and sharing it with others

Growing up as a Jewish kid in Palo Alto, Calif., in the 1970s wasn't always easy. For most of my elementary school years, I was the only Jewish boy in my grade, along with two other Jewish girls.

My parents, as committed, traditional Conservative Jews, taught us that it was important to keep a kosher home, observe Shabbat, build our yearly sukkah (booth), etc. Fortunately, my non-Jewish friends were very supportive of and enthusiastic about my family's religious practices; although I think the plentiful offerings of meals on a daily basis especially won them over.

Passover was, to say the least, a test of will; especially in the solitude of bringing my matzah sandwich to school amidst the plethora of chametz (leavened items) that my friends ate. But, ironically, Christmas vs. Chanukah posed less of a challenge.

Once a year, my father had the fascinating custom of driving myself, and my three younger brothers, down "Christmas Row" -- a street in Palo Alto where the homes were specially decorated with Christmas lights galore. But even in the face of all those stunning, sparkling lights, I didn't have an experience of feeling jealous, but instead, a recognition that a custom belonging to another faith tradition was beautiful, just as what we have in our faith tradition can be beautiful to someone else.

Later in life, I learned more about the American tradition of decorating Christmas trees, and the significance of Christmas lights. For Christians, the tradition of light has its origin in the medieval custom of Yule. This was an ancient celebration of the winter solstice.

During the short, dark days of winter, one would burn the Yule Log, which was believed to summon the return of the sun, and ward off evil spirits. The custom of the Yule Log, as a symbol of hope and anticipation or renewal, was adopted by the churches of Europe and eventually incorporated into their annual Christmas celebrations.

During the four-week season of Advent, candles, like those we light at Chanukah, take on a symbolic significance. Evergreen wreaths traditionally serve as the base for four candles -- three pink and one purple -- which symbolize hope, love, joy and peace. A new candle is lit every Sunday in the four weeks leading up to Christmas, as spiritual preparation and as a reminder to bring more of each quality -- hope, love, joy and peace -- into the season and into one's life.

While Christians perceive their own traditions of light through their uniquely Christological lens, we share similar motifs with our use of light in Jewish tradition. We light candles every week for Shabbat, reminding ourselves of the need to bring God's light into our lives, and the blessing of turning our hearts and minds to God's creative power.

During the Sabbath, we refrain from kindling light, so as not to distract ourselves from the singular focus on embracing God's light. Finally, we end Shabbat with the lighting of the Havdalah candle; three braided wicks entwined into one; a reminder that God's light is stronger when intertwined with our own light, and the light of others.