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Wednesday marks both Christmas and the first night of Hanukkah.
Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazereth, whom the New Testament explains is God the creator incarnate as man. It begins the story of His life, culminating in His crucifixion and resurrection -- the Christian belief in God's salvation of humanity.
In the second chapter of the Book of Luke, an angel appears to shepherds to tell them of the birth of Jesus: "But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' "
As the 14th verse of the second chapter of the Book of John emphasizes: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
The Hanukkah story, according to the website Chabad.org, which facilitates an international network of Jewish community centers, is one of light over darkness. It celebrates the victory of the Jewish Maccabees, who drove Israel's enemies from the Holy Land and restored the Temple service. The culmination of the miracle was when a small bottle of pure oil -- enough to fuel the Temple menorah for one day -- burned for eight days straight.
The last time the first night of Hanukkah and Christmas fell on the same day, according to the Bergen Record, a daily newspaper serving northern New Jersey, was 2005. Before that, it was in 1959.
For only the third time in 65 years -- a span of time that saw man land on the moon and the creation of the Internet -- Hanukkah begins on Christmas.
It seems to us an appropriate opportunity to reflect on how holidays can bring us together -- even as we, as a society, celebrate different ones.
We cherish our traditions and we respect that all of neighbors rightly cherish their traditions. We also believe our world needs opportunities to look beyond the specifics, the traditions, the details and absorb the larger principles: Faith and hope. Perseverance and selflessness. Compassion and togetherness. Humility and sacrifice.
These values, in any culture, guide our communities toward their best future. They are what we fundamentally want to impart to our children as our values and what we strive for our children to know we practice and we value.