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The Light of Chanukah
by Rabbi Yitzchok Boruch haCohen Fishel
Many years ago, when the American forces under General George Washington were awaiting the famous battle at Valley Forge, the future president was deeply concerned about the welfare of his troops. The bitter cold and the poor provisions with which his soldiers of the revolutionary army had been provided, did not bode well for the outcome of the critical battle that awaited them.
Wrapped in his officer's cape and clapping his three- cornered hat down hard on his head against the chilling wind, Washington went out to see at firsthand how his men were faring. As he went from tent to tent, he saw the men dressed in rags and huddling around small fires, trying to get together a meal of something hot. As he went on, he suddenly encountered a single soldier, bent over a small metal apparatus in which he had lit two, very small, tallow candles.
Intrigued, Washington bent over the Jewish soldier and asked what he was doing. Startled, the man jumped to his feet and saluted. Just at that moment, he had little expected to find his commander so near. But again Washington repeated his request: to understand why he had lit those little candles here, in the middle of nowhere.
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The Grant
A story by A. Bat-Melech
FICTION
Part I
Rabbi Menachem Yosefovich, the yeshiva manager, nervously paced the small office allocated for the yeshiva's administrative needs. What are we going to do? How can we ever cover our huge debts?
On the rickety table that served as his desk, a piece of furniture that had known far better days, lay a threatening document that totally unnerved him, a notice of legal confiscation of property. The red letters seemed to shoot sparks of anger and doom.
What will be? he asked himself again with a desperate sigh. How can the yeshiva possibly raise such a huge amount within two weeks? He dreaded to imagine the government agents descending upon the yeshiva and seizing anything of value. An ironic smile sprang to his lips.
I'd like to see what they consider worth taking. Our ancient computer that has served me for the past ten years? No one uses that outdated piece of junk. You can find them in garbage dumps by the hundreds. The hoary refrigerator, donated by the Avner family eons ago when they redid their kitchen? This limping table which I salvaged from the garbage heap? I hope they don't choose to take my chair. Why, it might come apart in their very hands if they don't take care. So many were the times I had to hammer and glue it together myself...
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