On the 25th of Kislev are the days of Chanukah, which are eight. These were appointed a Festival with Hallel [prayers of praise] and thanksgiving. (Shabbat 21b, Babylonian Talmud)
Our rabbis taught the rule of Chanukah: on the first day one [candle] is lit, and thereafter they are progressively increased... [because] we increase in sanctity but do not reduce. (Shabbat 21b, Babylonian Talmud)
They entered the sanctuary and found only one jar of ritually pure oil that was sufficient to burn only for one day, but they lit the lights of the Menorah from it for eight days, till they pressed olives and extracted additional pure oil.” (Rambam, Hilchot Chanukah, Chapter 3)
A beautiful tradition that many Jewish families or perhaps even congregations embrace is the blessing of their children on Friday nights as Shabbat is soon arriving or has just started. The words of the blessing are derived from the Priestly Blessing (Numbers 6:24–26), and the format varies slightly depending on whether the child is male or female. In addition to Friday nights, some parents may choose to bless their children using this blessing or a similar variation at a brit milah, a naming ceremony, a birthday, a bar or bat mitzvah, graduation day, or any other special occasion.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. This is the entire Torah; all the rest is commentary” (Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 31a).
Oseh Shalom is both a song and a prayer that encapsulates the Jewish longing for peace, acknowledging God as the source of the blessings of peace and wholeness. As for Oseh Shalom as a prayer, it is said to be based on Job 25:2 and is often recited or chanted at the end of the Kaddish and the Amidah, but can be said at other times in Jewish liturgy. Arguably, it may not even be a prayer for peace so much as an insistent plea to God that He impose peace upon the Jewish people.
The conflict between Israel and Gaza has a deep, complex history partially rooted in religion. This article will not seek to unpack all of that but rather to provide a general overview of the Gaza Strip in light of current events.