Each night of Chanukah we will share a message from our clergy, candle blessings, and inspiration from our Orange County community.
Rabbi K'vod's message includes who we are honoring as tonight's Shining Light, and each night of Chanukah we will continue to honor very special people in our TBESOC community.
In the spirit of Hanukkah, an eight-day holiday that celebrates the restoration of Jewish religious freedom in ancient Israel, we are highlighting eight religious communities under threat across the globe. Join us in shining a light on the areas of the world where darkness remains and the freedoms of religious communities are suppressed. Let this year’s Hanukkah observance, remind us to promote religious liberty and end the oppression of religious minorities wherever they may be. Please share this information with your friends and family to show your support for these communities and for religious freedom around the world.
Ecumenical Patriarch and Greek Orthodox Christians in Turkey
Turkey maintains several prohibitive laws leading to the severe decline of the Greek Orthodox Christians in Turkey.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity is a religious minority in Turkey although it was once the dominant religion, during the time of the Byzantine Empire. Today, less than one tenth of one percent of the population are Orthodox Christians.
The Orthodox population of Turkey was substantially reduced as a result of World War I. Additionally, the vast majority of Greek Orthodox Christians were forced to leave the territory of Turkey in a population swap following the Treaty of Lausanne. Included among that transfer were many Turkish speaking Christians, who were nonetheless sent to Greece. Although the Greek Orthodox populations of Istanbul and some Turkish Aegean Islands were officially protected under the treaty, discrimination and harsh treatment, culminating in the Istanbul Pogrom led to further emigration. Many Greek Orthodox people living in Istanbul and the Islands were at various times arbitrarily stripped of their Turkish citizenship. Finally, a 1971 law significantly limiting the operation of private universities led to the closure of the Halki Seminary, the main theological school of the Orthodox community. The Greek Orthodox community of Istanbul numbered 67,550 persons in 1955. However, after the Istanbul Pogrom orchestrated by Turkish authorities against the Greek community in that year, their number was dramatically reduced to only 48,000. Today, the Greek community numbers about 2,000 people.
BE THE LIGHT: Chanukah Celebration for Children Monday, December 14 at 5:30pm
While we have been looking sooo forward to creating an in person Chanukah event, we are changing our Drive-In BE the Light event to be virtual only. Even though the event was planned with safety at the forefront, this week, many of our volunteers and faculty have shared that they are not comfortable participating. We also want to set a good example for our children by staying home. We will re-create the event online only, and very much look forward to seeing you there.
During the course of this pandemic, we have experienced disappointment after disappointment as we have had to cancel celebrations, travel, holidays with family. Each of these disappointments creates a sense of loss and darkness. Chanukah is a time to see light in the darkness and shine out to the world. Like every holiday that we’ve celebrated virtually this year, each one of us has the opportunity to bring our light and our presence to our virtual online experiences. We want to celebrate with you and continue to shine even as we follow the stay at home order.
To drop off gift cards for families in need: please stop by the temple Mon-Fri 8am-3pm. For families with children: Please join us on Monday, Dec 14 at 5:30pm online for a Chanukah celebration that is age appropriate.
