Photo by Fayra Teeters, Menorah outside Ben Gurion Airport, near Tel Aviv

Winter Festival of Lights 2025

by Fayra Teeters

Note: This is the latest “script” for the yearly blended ceremony conducted at the Portland Subud House.

All religions and cultures of the world have dealt with mankind’s drooping sense of worth during the darkest days of Winter – largely by lighting candles, oil lamps, Yule logs, bonfires, and by offering ceremonies, rituals, and celebrations that lift the spirit and shine light into the darkness.

In light of the current war in the Middle East, we open with a Prayer for Peace:

Allah, call upon all of your people to care for one another and to respect their differences. Send your Spirit of Wisdom and Peace upon the people of the Holy Land, Gaza, Palestine, and Israel. Help us bring an end to violence, with an acceptance of true justice for those who have lost their homes and loved ones. Amen.

Jewish – First Night of Hanukkah – December 14th

Photo by Fayra Teeters: Menorah outside synagogue in Old Jerusalem

Hanukkah celebrates one of the few military victories Israel had over its unending line of conquerors.

Antiochus IV, descendant of Alexander the Great, forced Greek culture and the Greek gods upon Israel as a means of wiping out Jewish culture, to assure his absolute control. In 164 BC the Maccabee family led by Judah, rebelled against him. After the defeat, when Judah entered the Temple, he found only a small jar of oil that had not been defiled by Antiochus. Although there was only enough oil to burn for one night, miraculously, it lasted the full eight nights that it took to consecrate more.

The Menorah has 9 branches for the 8 days of celebration: one candle lit each night, the central candle lit first, the Shamash or Servitor – because those who serve the community are the very center of its existence. The Menorah symbolizes the Tree of Life, with each of its seven branches topped by little nests. At the base of the Menorah is a lion, guarding and protecting the people of Israel.

Leader: Baruch Atah Adonai Elohaynu Melech ha-olam, asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotov, vitzivhnu l’hadlik nayr shel Hanukkah.

Everyone: Blessed art thou, Eternal our God, King of the Universe, who has sanctified us through thy commandments, and instructed us to light the Hanukkah candles.

Friday night marks the start of the Sabbath, to which we say “Shabbot Shalom” or “May the Sabbath Peace be with you.” Please pick up a piece of the challah bread & place a drop of honey on it.

Leader: Baruch Atah Adonai Elohaynu Melech ha-olam, hah-moh-tzee leh-khehm meen hah-ah-rehtz.
All: Blessed art thou, Eternal our God, King of the Universe, who bringeth forth bread from the earth.

Pagan – The Yuletide Winter Solstice – Thursday, December 21st

Decorating a live tree with natural things dates back to pre-Christian times in Northern Europe. O Tannenbaum originated as a German pagan folksong:

If you haven’t already done so, please write a prayer for peace, a personal wish, or expression of gratitude on one of the cards, and hang it onto our tiny Tannenbaum in the center of the room. This practice echoes the prayers on paper that are tucked into the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Once a month they clear out the pieces of paper in the wall and bury them, rather than burning, because Jews would never burn the name of God.

Silent Night, Holy Night, all is calm; all is bright.
Round young Virgin, mother and child; Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in Heavenly Peace; sleep in Heavenly Peace.

When Jesus was born in the time of Herod, three wise men from the East came to Jerusalem saying, “Where is he who is born King of the Jews? We have seen his star in the East and have come to worship him.”

We three kings of orient are bearing gifts we’ve traversed afar
Field and fountain, moor and mountain, following yonder star.
Oh – star of wonder, star of light, star with royal beauty bright.
Westward leading still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light.

When Herod heard this, he was troubled and summoned the wise men to send them to Bethlehem saying, “Go and search for the child and when you have found him bring me word that I too may come and worship him.” The Wise Men followed the star ‘til it came to rest over the manger where the Child was. When they saw the child with Mary, they fell down and worshipped him, offering their treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed by another way. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph and said, “Flee to Egypt with the Child and Mary and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is coming to destroy the Child.” And Joseph departed by night and remained in Egypt until the death of Herod.

Santa Lucia Day – Scandinavia – December 13th

St. Lucia was a Christian martyr who visited Christian catacombs with food and water for all hiding there to escape Roman persecution. Her day is celebrated with a parade in which girls wear candlelit wreaths in their hair, commemorating the candelabra she carried to light her way through the darkness of the catacombs. We eat a dessert called lussekatter, saffron bread, to honor her as well.

And now for a scooch of lightness, Seasonal Kitsch, which began in the 1920’s when Edison pushed electric lighting into wealthy homes. American Jews who considered Hanukkah their Festival of Lights, blanched at Christians outdoing them with lights all over their homes and Christmas trees. Although the Menorah was always intended to be lit inside the Jewish home, ginormous Menorahs were lit throughout December in front of Conservative Synagogues and community centers.

Then during the early 1950’s as the Jewish Anti-Defamation League banded together with the B’nai B’rith Association as a united front. They spoke out against forcing Jewish children to worship Christ in song during school assemblies. The resulting compromise was an outpouring of songs about snow, jingle bells, Santa Claus and reindeer. Let’s sing a few of these songs that joyfully reflect this compromise. (White Christmas, written by Irving Berlin; Frosty the Snowman; Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, etc.)