Carla Spector

Quick, who found the cruse of oil that lasted eight days? On Chanukah we celebrate two miracles: our military victory over the Greeks and the one small cruse of oil that kept the menorah in the Temple lit for eight days. Between the two miracles, our tradition holds that finding the oil is more important. The re-dedication of the Temple capped by the eight days of menorah light is the real Chanukah miracle. That’s why the holiday is called Chanukah, which means “dedication,” and why we light a menorah to commemorate the events. If I started with the question of who led the victory over the Greeks, everyone would know that the answer is Judah, the Maccabee. But the hero who brought about the critical miracle goes un-named. Why is that? This is one of Chanukah’s lessons. Who the hero was isn’t important; it’s what they did that matters. And to appreciate what they did, let’s look at what they didn’t do…

At the heart of CAJE’s work is a shared communitywide vision: When we invest in the well-being, skill, and resilience of our educators, we strengthen our children, their families, and the future of Jewish life.This fall, CAJE launched major parallel initiatives for Early Childhood and Day School educators - each rooted in trauma-informed practice, professional collaboration, and the belief that adults need strong support systems to fully support their students.