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Posts tagged ‘Hanukkah’

Hanukkah ~ Celebration of Light

AKO-hanukkah

Besides the U.S. Thanksgiving, people around the globe are celebrating the Jewish eight-day festival of light and purity, Chanukah (Hanukkah), which started sundown November 27, 2013 through December 5, 2013. This is a celebration of triumph of light over darkness, of purity over adulteration, and of spirituality over materialism. The history of Hanukkah begins more than twenty-one centuries ago. The Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who sought to forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel. Against all odds, a small band of faithful Jews defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of God.

When they sought to light the Temple’s menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum), they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks; miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of ritual purity.

To commemorate and publicize these miracles, the sages instituted the festival of Chanukah. At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah (candelabrum) lighting: a single flame on the first night, two on the second evening, and so on till the eighth night of Chanukah, when all eight lights are kindled.

On Chanukah the Jewish people also add the Hallel and Al HaNissim in their daily prayers to offer praise and thanksgiving to God for “delivering the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few… the wicked into the hands of the righteous.”

Chanukah customs include eating foods fried in oil — latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts); playing with the dreidel (a spinning top on which are inscribed the Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, hei and shin, an acronym for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, “a great miracle happened there”); and the giving of Chanukah gelt, gifts of money, to children. Click here for the complete story of Chanukah.

Happy Hanukkah!

(My gratitude to Chabad.org for the information posted.)

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A Little Does A Lot!

AKO-KindHearts

I know I have shared similar sentiments about the importance of kindness, but I believe it bears to be retold over and over again as I find more and more on the positive benefits. Besides the obvious benefit of bringing joy to receiver, kindness brings joy to the giver; as I believe most of you know. But, did you know that people who witness kindness in action also get a benefit from this event? Yes, indeed. One act of kindness touches at least three hearts: the heart of the recipient, the heart of the giver, and the heart of the witness or observer. A little kindness does a lot!

Multiple scientific studies have shown that the act of kindness has a positive effect on the immune system and on the increased production of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a naturally occurring neurotransmitter that has a calming, mood regulating, and anti-anxiety effect. Serotonin is considered a joy-inducing substance because it serves as a pathway(a catalyst) for delight in the brain. The function of most anti-depressant medications is to stimulate the production of serotonin chemically, which helps ease depression.

One of the most fascinating research findings to come out in recent years is that whenever a simple act of kindness is extended by a human being towards another, it results in a significant improvement in the functioning of the immune system and increased production of serotonin in the giver, recipient and the observer of the simple act of kindness. (Read more: http://undergroundhealthreporter.com/act-of-kindness#ixzz2FRdItP3o) A Harvard study called this the Mother Teresa Effect because a group of over 130 Harvard students were tested before and after viewing a film on the life of Mother Teresa for an important antibody found in their saliva important to their immune system. The students had a noteworthy increase in this antibody after watching the charity works of Mother Teresa in her life story.

You can do your own research. How do you feel after watching a program like Extreme Makeover Home Edition or Touched by an Angel, where people are uplifted by other people? I am willing to bet you feel wonderful. I also believe that as we approach significant holidays like Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas where you people see more goodwill and acts of kindness, there is a greater amount of joy in the hearts of all the people involved. Furthermore, there are more heart-warming movies being broadcast on television and shown in the movie theaters. How do you feel after doing a good deed? How do you feel when you see someone performing a good deed? How do you feel when someone helps you out?

According to the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, “Non-pharmacological methods of raising brain serotonin may not only improve mood and social functioning of healthy people — a worthwhile objective even without additional considerations — but would also make it possible to test the idea that increases in brain serotonin may help protect against the onset of various mental and physical disorders.” According to experts, the following strategies to raise serotonin levels are worthy of further investigation: the power of suggestion (viewing acts of kindness or suggesting to yourself to be joyful), exposure to bright light (like being outdoors in the sunshine), exercise (runner’s high comes to mind), and diet (eating well-balanced foods that you enjoy).

The benefits are many, but the take home message is: A little KINDNESS does A LOT! Now, the task is to narrow the list of what you can do to spread kindness around because the opportunities are truly endless. What are your favorite acts of kindness to do, observe or receive? My favorites are sharing and receiving a heartfelt smiles, sincere compliments and undivided attention.

 

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Hanukkah ~ Celebration of Light

AKO-hanukkah

Tonight begins the Jewish eight-day festival of light and purity, Chanukah (Hanukkah). This is a celebration of triumph of light over darkness, of purity over adulteration, and of spirituality over materialism. The history of Hanukkah begins more than twenty-one centuries ago. The Holy Land was ruled by the Seleucids (Syrian-Greeks), who sought to forcefully Hellenize the people of Israel. Against all odds, a small band of faithful Jews defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of God.

When they sought to light the Temple’s menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum), they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks; miraculously, the one-day supply burned for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of ritual purity.

To commemorate and publicize these miracles, the sages instituted the festival of Chanukah. At the heart of the festival is the nightly menorah (candelabrum) lighting: a single flame on the first night, two on the second evening, and so on till the eighth night of Chanukah, when all eight lights are kindled.

On Chanukah the Jewish people also add the Hallel and Al HaNissim in their daily prayers to offer praise and thanksgiving to God for “delivering the strong into the hands of the weak, the many into the hands of the few… the wicked into the hands of the righteous.”

Chanukah customs include eating foods fried in oil — latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (doughnuts); playing with the dreidel (a spinning top on which are inscribed the Hebrew letters nun, gimmel, hei and shin, an acronym for Nes Gadol Hayah Sham, “a great miracle happened there”); and the giving of Chanukah gelt, gifts of money, to children. Click here for the complete story of Chanukah.

Happy Hanukkah!

(My gratitude to Chabad.org for the information posted.)

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New Traditions

AKO-NewTraditions

Create new traditions to bring more joy and unity into the lives of you and your loved ones! ~ Dr. Angi K. Orobko

In December we celebrate love, joy, generosity, charity, Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, rebirth, return of light, and so much more. How we choose to celebrate the holiday is entirely up to us. We can choose to create new ways to celebrate the season. The possibilities are endless. Take the opportunity to invite input from your loved ones when you create a new tradition or two. Ask yourselves, how can you best celebrate? What will make this season for you and your family more meaningful?

My loved ones and I celebrate Christmas each year. Yes, we usually put up a Christmas tree and exchange gifts; but, more importantly we honor the birth of Jesus Christ, as well as, prepare our hearts for the second coming of our Lord. This preparation can be in many forms, but ultimately it is being Jesus and Love for others, whether it is in the spirit of giving gifts and/or sharing time and talents.

I love the idea of creating care packages filled with necessities and goodies for people in need. I love the idea of doing deliberate and anonymous acts of love and kindness each week in the name of Jesus and Love. These can become new traditions in my family. There are countless other things we can do and I am open to receive any ideas my loved ones have in mind. How about you? Are you going to create a new tradition this December?

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Are We All UNDER PRESSURE?

Okay, so it is less than 24 hours to Thanksgiving Day; and, soon after that the kick-off to the craziest shopping day of the year. But all the shopping and pressure is not what Thanksgiving and the upcoming holidays of Hanukkah, Yule, Christmas and Kwanzaa are all about. The focus of these  holidays center around love, appreciation, hope, birth and rebirth.  We get to enjoy and love each other.

Yes, one of the ways we in the Western modern world express love and appreciation is through material gifts, which leads to “shopping,” but it does not have to be the focus of our holidays. The best expression of our love and appreciation can be the gift of time, the gift of loving words and actions, and the gift of enjoying each other’s company. Right? As the end of the song, “Under Pressure” by Queen and David Bowie, expresses…

Can’t we give ourselves one more chance
Why can’t we give love that one more chance
Why can’t we give love give love give love give love
give love give love give love give love give love
‘Cause love’s such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And loves dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last chance
This is ourselves
Under pressure
Under pressure
Pressure

Let us give ourselves that chance to be love for others during this holiday season. Let go of the stress and worry. No more pressure! Those you love and who love you will not be disappointed if all you give them is your love and time. In fact, you may be relieving them of pressure to give you material things. Now, that truly is a gift. Enjoy each other’s company! Love, appreciate and enjoy each other! Happy Thanksgiving!

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