Be A Light

Every Building Needs A Light. #BeALight

We live in dark and divisive times.  At havdalah we banish darkness with the unifying light of a multi-wicked candle, representing our souls coming together to create change.  Emerge from the restorative sweetness of Shabbat by taking action toward building a better world.

#BeALight invites three simple steps:  

  1. Start the week with the blessings of havdalah, to mitigate against isolation and despair.
  2. Commit to a concrete step you’ll take in the new week toward building a world of greater justice.
  3. Encourage friends to join you in making havdalah and in building a world of justice and love. Tag your posts #BeALight, to encourage participation beforehand and share the experience after.

For those who already have a practice of making havdalah, #BeALight is an invitation to begin the new week with a concrete action toward building a better world, coming together like the flames of the multi-wicked candle. For those who already have a practice of engaging in social justice work, #BeALight is an invitation to sanctify that work by rooting it in havdalah.

Havdalah Resources:

  • #BeALight Havdalah Download: pdf of the havdalah prayers in Hebrew, English, and transliteration, with #BeALight commitment at the end
  • #BeALight Flyer, downloadable for social media use and/or printing
  • #BeALight Postcard, downloadable for social media use and/or printing
  • How To Make Havdalah video from Moishe House and Elana Jagoda:
  • Olam Chesed Yibaneh (“I Will Build This World From Love”) by Rabbi Menachem Creditor on SoundCloud, recorded by Cantor Lizzie Weiss (a great song for beginning a new week):

More on #BeALight:

#BeALight is brought to you by BayitCongregation Beit Simchat Torah and Torah Trumps Hate.