Hanukkah has always held a special place in my heart. It’s one of my favorite holidays, not just because I am Jewish and this is our “Christmas”, but because it’s a time when my whole family comes together. It’s not just my cousins, my grandpa, my aunts, and I, but it’s everyone. From my mom’s side of the family to my dad’s. 

Before I joined BBYO, Hanukkah was just 8 nights of praying around the menorah, eating chocolate coins, spinning dreidels, and opening presents. I didn’t know what those prayers meant, but I was just happy to be with my family. I felt safe. 

When I was little, my older brothers were leading the prayers, and I looked up to them, wondering how they knew it. I wanted to be exactly like them when I was older. I wanted to know the prayers, I wanted to know what each word we said meant. 

Now, after almost three years in BBYO, Hanukkah has given me a deeper meaning. Now, I know what these prayers mean. I now know what we’re saying. Now I can say to my little self that I am like my older brothers. Hanukkah is now a huge reminder that I am a part of a community that will be there for me no matter what, no matter where they live or the different time zones. From Turkey, Las Vegas, Arizona, New York, Bulgaria, Israel, Texas, Northern California, or Colorado, I know that we are all lighting the Menorah, praying, dancing, laughing, opening presents, and celebrating Hanukkah. 

BBYO didn’t just give me friends; it gave me a purpose, a belonging, and a second family. It gave me people who feel like siblings, even if I had just met them. This Hanukkah, since Perlman, I feel connected to more people than ever, and that connection is something I am forever grateful for.