Friends,  

Last Sunday evening, you could have stayed home. 

I heard from many of you before our community menorah lighting in City Center. The fear was real: Bondi Beach’s horror was too fresh, too close. And then there was the cold. The word cold doesn't do the conditions justice.  It was the kind of bitter, bone-deep freeze that makes you want to move to Florida.  

You had every reason to stay home.  And I'll be honest, part of me wondered if you would. I braced myself for a small, hardy crowd. 

Instead, I watched our community arrive. Bundled in layers, breath visible in the frigid air, families and individuals choosing to gather, choosing to be visible, choosing to light candles together in defiance of everything that whispered stay hidden, stay safe, stay warm. 

You showed me what Hanukkah means. 

You bundled up your children, braved the cold, and stood together as we kindled that first light declaring with your presence: We are here.  We choose light.  We choose each other. 

That is Hanukkah. Not in theory, but in practice. 

And this is the work we do together, every single day of the year. 

Your partnership with Jewish Peninsula enables us to meet critical needs, combat antisemitism, protect our institutions, and build bridges across every divide on the Peninsula. Your support ensures not just survival, but thriving - a future as radiant as the flames we kindle each night of Hanukkah. 

Your gift to our Annual Campaign sustains light in every corner of our community: 

Caring for those in need through a strong safety net 
Shaping leaders for tomorrow 
Bridging divides through partnerships that build understanding 
Enriching lives through arts, culture, and shared celebration 

We hope you enjoy the video below, featuring the partners who help us kindle light throughout our community. 

Thank you for showing up last Sunday. Thank you for showing up every day. Thank you for refusing to let fear or cold or darkness have the final word. 

Shabbat Shalom,  

Eric Maurer 
CEO 
emaurer@jewishpeninsula.org