Lights Lit

We live in a neighborhood with many observant Jewish families. I like this for several reasons. There is much walking to and from temple that gives the neighborhood a sweet, unhurried rhythm. Also, the Jewish children on our block, who also walk back and forth a great deal, are quietly joyful. This is hard to describe. The children seem so fully at ease with what they are doing. They walk with their parents and their parents lean in to listen to what they are saying. I would imagine that this makes them feel quite prized. Watching is a little like watching an old man care for his prized orchids.

I also like living in a neighborhood with many observant Jewish families because during the eight nights of Hanukkah they light many menorahs and put them all in their front windows. A family with many children might have seven or eight menorahs in the window. For the short time Hanukkah candles burn – they are very thin and quite short – the window is ablaze. It is wonderful to see, I think maybe because it is so fleeting. The candles don’t last for days; they aren’t plugged in. When they burn out, everyone must wait until the next night of Hanukkah or next year, depending.

We light just one menorah and many nights we forget to light candles until long after the neighbors’ candles have burned down. The wax drips on our windowsill, next to the hardened puddles from last year. We scrape up the debris every couple of years but never entirely. We leave tracks of our imperfect observance.

Living in a neighborhood with many observant Jewish families means that the pressure to have intricate Christmas decorations is vastly diminished. Of course, we are already an odd couple, putting our lit menorah in the window and then days later hauling a Christmas tree in the front door, so we are not worried what the neighbors will think. If they did think ill of us, we would never know. They would still nod and smile when they pass by.

Many years ago, the family across the street, the father was a Jewish scholar but not Jewish, would have an undecorated house until Christmas Eve and then magically, their house would be awash in red and green lights that would be left on until the day after Christmas and then be taken down. I see that now as a homage to the Hanukkah candle. We’ll have this light but it’s fleeting so appreciate it while you can.

Words to live by in this neighborhood.