I started off Chanukah not feeling super excited. I wasn’t home with my family, I didn’t have any big parties to attend. I also had work to go to the next day, and I couldn’t take a break from my responsibilities. I had a phone meeting scheduled with one of my teachers to talk about my progress in the online course that I’m taking. In my lazy, un-interested, un-holiday like mood, I sat down for the meeting, ready for it to be a quick, protocol call.

Somehow in conversation, I brought up the fact that it’s Chanukah and that my schedule would be a little up in the air.

My teacher, although not Jewish, was so encouraging about me spending time with my family and not worrying about school this week. He asked me questions about the holiday and related that he had a childhood friend that was Jewish, and he was always so jealous of all his late night parties, for eight days straight.

I grew up, and continue to grow, in a world that is filled with antisemitism.  I don’t have to elaborate and make this depressing by mentioning all the incidents. Wherever I go, I feel a slight fear that someone will call me out for my religion, or hurt me for it.

It was nice to feel Jewish pride instead.

I never mentioned blatantly to my online teachers that I was Jewish. I didn’t find it necessary, and what if they hated Jews and would fail me on my course for that reason?

The positive reaction from my teacher filled me gave me the Chanukah cheer that I was so desperate for earlier.

The world has hope. We just have to find all the people who put love before hate.

This is my first day of discovering the happy amidst the sad in honor of the holiday of light.

#happychallenge.