Perhaps one of the things we learn at this season of light is tolerance and inclusivity. This year there were a couple of events that fit in that category. On Tuesday several of us went to Congressman Peter Roskam’s office on behalf of American Jewish World Service to ask for his sponsorship of the International Violence Against Women Act. Some of my congregants had never met a congressman before. The meeting went well. He will consider the bill and adding his name. He is outspoken about trafficking. He has a daughter who has worked in an orphanage in the Dominican Republic and he seems to understand the connection between violence and poverty. He encouraged us to read the book The Locust Effect and I look forward to doing so even as I think it might be scary or very similar to Half the Sky. The idea that five Jews representing scores more can attend a meeting with a Congressman speaks to our power and our assimilation here in the United States.

Yesterday I met with the Mayor, the Police Chief and several clergy, both African American and white about race relations and the police department in light of Ferguson. This has been an ongoing dialogue, from before any of us had heard of the town Ferguson. It is complex. It will not be solved by this series of meetings but it puts us ahead of where Ferguson was. I do not think I am naïve. Unfortunately a black male could be shot by a white officer anywhere, even Elgin. And that is tragic. No officer, black or white, wants to use deadly force. But sometimes it is a split second decision. And sometimes they get it wrong. I don’t want to be in their shoes.

Like the African American community, Jews have not always felt safe. Not in the Old Country and not here in America. Recent events in places like Overland Park and Lombard, Illinois add to the unease.

This week I also had a conversation with a downtown Elgin business owner. He, together with Congregation Kneseth Israel, put in a window display celebrating Chanukah. He graciously offered. We accepted. But I felt I had to have a hard conversation with him. Did he feel at risk displaying something so overtly Jewish? He did not.

There are two stories tonight. One called The Trees of the Dancing Goats, where Patricia Polacco spins a tale of hope. Everyone in the farming community in Michigan has scarlet fever except the Jewish family. They wind up helping with this strange custom of cutting down pine trees and decorating them. They take a holiday meal—a Christmas supper and a tree to each of their neighbors. Each tree has a wooden, hand carved animal ornament. Each family is able to enjoy Christmas. At the end of the quarantine period, each family returns the favor. The animal ornaments come back to Patricia’s family and everyone, Jewish and not Jewish celebrates the last night of Chanukah together.

The second story is called the Christmas Menorahs, How a Town Fought Hate. In Billings, Montana someone through a rock through a Jewish family’s window during Chanukah. Simply because they were Jews. The town’s response is that everyone put a menorah in their windows, much like the non-Jews of Denmark who all wore Jewish stars during the Nazi occupation.

It is stories like this that bring me hope. I am hopeful after meeting with Congressman Roskam, Mayor Kaptain and Chief Swoboda. Our country is not perfect. But it remains better than most. After this week, I am hopeful that our communities can rise above hate and violence. For me that is the gift of Chanukah.