As fall turns to winter, and we prepare for Hanukkah, Christmas, and other holiday celebrations, let us give thanks for the discovery of light in the darkness. May our days fill with the warmth of loved ones and with the light of those who refuse to give up on the promise of a more just and compassionate world. Blessings for meaningful winter holidays and a healthy and peaceful new year.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, far right, with MLK and other civil rights activists marching from Selma to Montgomery, AL

The Miller Center for Interreligious Learning and Leadership is thrilled to release a suite of learning resources to accompany My Legs Were Praying, the inspiring new biography of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel written for a teen audience by Rabbi Or Rose. These resources, developed by Hebrew College rabbinical student Risa Dunbar, include chapter-by-chapter reading guides, and engaging, adaptable lesson plans oriented by theme: Prayer and Social Justice, Theology and Human Responsibility, Memory and Legacy, the Prophets, and Shabbat. Whether you’re an educator, book club leader, or independent learner, these materials offer flexible pathways to explore the life and work of this foundational 20th century Jewish scholar, religious writer, and activist. Dive in and discover how Heschel’s teachings can spark meaningful conversation, personal growth, and collective action.

Interested in learning more about Abraham Joshua Heschel and My Legs Were Praying? In the latest season of Hebrew College's Speaking Torah podcast, Risa and Or discuss the book and learning resources, why Or wrote with a teen audience in mind, and how Rabbi Heschel's legacy continues to shape Jewish life today. 

Emma Lazarus’s poem “The Feast of Lights” has been part of the canon of American Jewish poetry for more than a century. Written in 1882 in response to pogroms in Russia, the poet utilizes the time-honored images of the Hanukkah legend, including the brave warring efforts of the Maccabees and God’s provision of a miraculous jug of oil, in her call for contemporary Jewish unity and pride in the face of persecution. 

The use of both religious and militaristic imagery in Lazarus’s poem offers an integrated modern literary approach to the Hanukkah story, in which she calls on readers — Ashkenazic and Sephardic, poor and rich, learned and untutored, women and men — to light up the night with an “eightfold splendor” and “psalms of victory” as they renew the “Maccabean spirit.”

Given that this poem is a call to Jewish unity and pride — a key element of Lazarus’ larger project — it is not surprising that she does not address the internal tensions present in the historical Hanukkah story. But we know that Maccabees fought not only a foreign power but also internal adversaries — fellow Jews who understood identity, belonging, and sovereignty differently from them.

The "New Jewish-Evangelical Dialogue" group at it's inaugural gathering last March

As part of an ongoing dialogue between Jewish and Evangelical leaders, the Miller Center’s Rob Schenck and the National Council of Synagogues’ president, Rabbi Lenny Gordon, convened a group of some twenty scholars, congregational clergy, and institutional representatives last month for a structured discussion on sacred text.

Participants attended presentations, engaged in general discussion, and joined small groups to share selected texts and discuss their interpretations. This exercise was part of a jointly sponsored program titled “A New Jewish-Evangelical Dialogue.” Miller Center Director Rabbi Or Rose developed the concept in collaboration with Reverend Schenck and Rabbi Gordon. Together with Director of Special Projects Marilyn Stern, they hosted the initial in-person convening on March 19-20 in Washington, DC, followed by a second online session in June. “It’s been a pure pleasure to work alongside my co-chair Lenny Gordon, our planning group, and all the others,” says Rev. Schenck. “Lenny has been especially effective in creating an atmosphere where mutual understanding, trust, and enjoyment of one another can happen, notwithstanding our significant differences.”

With plans to convene again in February, this ongoing dialogue aims to explore innovative approaches to Jewish-Christian relations, both within and between these two significant religious communities. 

The Miller Center has received Ally Challenge Grant funding from CJP’s Center for Combating Antisemitism (CCA) to promote allyship across Jewish and non-Jewish communities through relationship building and meaningful action. “We are most grateful to CJP for providing us with funding to work in partnership with Newton Interfaith Leaders Association on this timely and urgently needed initiative,” said Rabbi Or Rose, Director of the Miller Center (right). “While global and national events can feel overwhelming, there is concrete work we can all do in our neighborhoods and townships.”

The Miller Center will partner with the Newton Interfaith Leaders Association (NILA) on a clergy-led initiative to combat antisemitism through interfaith collaboration, with a particular focus on empowering Christian clergy and lay leaders. “It is imperative that Christians do this work not just for the sake of our communion with our Jewish siblings but also for our own connection with our faith,” said Rev. Cheryl Kerr, President of NILA.

This program is supported by CJP's Center for Combatting Antisemitism. Learn more: cjp.org/CCA

Dignity Project fellows sitting with change-agents at their October meeting.

Last month on their November retreat, the Dignity Project Fellows spent an energizing 25 hours together honing the tools of dialogue. In an exercise called "Holding the Heat," Fellows took turns sharing "hot takes" and asking honest, curious questions while an observer shared reflections on the other participants' reactions and body language. Then, Fellows practiced incorporating micro-grounding practices. After a day of structured conversations about abortion, Israel/Palestine, politics, and social media, Fellows reflected on the power of slowing down, inviting people to share personal stories about issues, and reflecting on gray areas. Asked what they want to do in future sessions, the resounding answer was "more dialogue!"