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  • Alison Bert

    • I'm a writer who used to make my living as a musician. And somewhere along the way, I developed a passion for photography.

    Whatever I do, I try to make it meaningful. The best training I ever had was as a reporter The Journal News, covering everything from 9-11 to education and business. Now, as an editor for Elsevier, I try to bring the same journalistic integrity to corporate communications.

    In the previous century, I was a classical guitarist and music professor. I will always be grateful for the opportunities it gave me. While working on a doctorate at the University of Arizona, I was a Fulbright Scholar in Spain and studied with Andrés Segovia in a master class. I performed with wonderful musicians in places I will never forget, like Berlin, Krakow, Jerusalem and Caracas. And was able to share what I learned with with some incredible students.

    But ultimately I decided to return to my roots as a writer. When I was on the music faculty of Syracuse University, the Newhouse School was right across the street. I signed up for a few courses, but a professor there convinced me to get a master's in journalism and make it my living.

    Many people ask me why I changed careers, but I don't see it that way. For me, art in any form is about finding what is fascinating and building a technique to express it to others. Which is what I hope to do here. I hope you will join me.

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    Night 2: getting it right

    Alison Bert on December 5th, 2007 | Filed under Judaism, Spirituality

    chanukah.jpg This evening, on the second night of Chanukah, I passed the Lubavitchers again. They had a van on Park Avenue. I stopped to say thank you, and one one of them told me how to light the candles. Turns out, I had it all wrong.

    I was supposed to place the candles starting at the far right, say the blessing before kindling the flames, and light the candles from left to right. (For more on Chanukah, check out Chabad.org.)

    I admitted my mistakes, but it didn’t faze this gentleman. “It’s a beginning,” he said. “You’ll get it next time.”

    That’s one thing I’ve always admired about the Lubavitchers, and most of the orthodox Jews I’ve known. I remember Rabbi Rappaport in Syracuse telling me that it’s better to do something to observe than nothing at all. My friends Steve Baron and Nancy Havernick would often invite me to Shabbat dinner with their family knowing that afterwards I would get in my car and drive home. This from people who would tape over the light switch in the bathroom so guests wouldn’t inadvertently switch it off. (Turning the light on again would violate the Sabbath prohibition against kindling a flame.)

    I thought about them as I lit the candles for the second night of Chanukah.

    5 Comments »


    5 Responses to “Night 2: getting it right”

    1. yosef chaim barber Says:
      December 6th, 2007 at 9:59 am

      hey alison,its really nice to see that you lit the candles most people who we give the menorah and candles to we never know the outcome.
      The way to light up the world is one candle at a time, as the famous saying goes a little light disples much darkness so you are doing a great job.
      Another lesson we learn from the menorah that every night we increase the lights 1st night 1, 2nd night 2 etc.. that in our lives we can’t be satisfied with our level of spiritual observance we have to always increase like the lights..
      just in case you are wondering who i am i was the lubavitcher you spoke to last night by park ave and 34th st..
      well wishing you and your family a happy chanuka
      light up the nights!!

    2. Alison Says:
      December 6th, 2007 at 8:46 pm

      Yosef, I remember you. Thank you for taking the time to share the lessons to be learned from lighting the menorah. You obviously have a passion and a gift for the work you do with your fellow Lubavitchers. I guess it’s like the saying you quoted, about lighting up the world one candle at a time. You may never know what becomes of those menorahs you give away, but it only takes one to make a difference. (Though I’m pretty sure lots of people are using them.)

      Happy Chanukah, Yosef!

    3. Caren Says:
      December 7th, 2007 at 1:17 pm

      Happy Chanukah! Tonight’s the fourth night…wishing you lots of light and brightness in your life…We’ll be lighting up three menorahs and I’ll think of you…– Caren

    4. Krumhorn Says:
      December 8th, 2007 at 11:57 am

      Hi Alison

      Happy holidays. How did Yosef find your blog?

      I’m pleased to see that you are feeling better. I was starting to worry about you.

    5. Alison Says:
      December 8th, 2007 at 6:27 pm

      Caren, thanks for stopping by! And Happy Chanukah to you and your family. Thanks for thinking of me.

      Mr. K, I’ve been doing well, just busy. I’m actually more resilient than people think I am. But it’s sweet that you would worry about me.

      As for how Yosef found my blog, when I saw him and his fellow Lubavitchers on Park Avenue the second night, I stopped to thank them and tell them I wrote about them here.

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