On the first night of Hanukkah, I asked my kids a simple question: should we light the candles starting with one on the first night and increase each night, or start with eight and decrease? Their response was swift and unanimous – start with one and go up.
Nearly 2,000 years ago, when this debate was famously first held between two sages, Hillel and Shammai, there was no such agreement. Hillel argued for increasing the number of candles each night, while Shammai contended that we should begin with eight and take one away each night.
Hillel’s approach ultimately became the common practice, offering us a symbolic worldview to carry forward. Light is meant to expand. We choose to believe that tomorrow can hold more light than today.
But then Hanukkah quietly asks another question: if last night was the eighth night, the brightest night, What does our ninth night look like?
At camp, we live in the business of answering this question every day. We intentionally design camper journeys to expand over time, from Yalla and Benjamin all the way through becoming a CIT. We add new responsibilities and greater ownership at each stage. We do the same with our staff, creating models that invite people to step into new and expanded roles each summer, growing as leaders alongside the campers they mentor.
This is what a “ninth candle” looks like. It takes what already shines and asks how it can shine brighter.
As we turn the calendar toward 2026, we’re excited for all the ways the coming year will be one of deeper impact and more chances for each of us to amplify the light of our community. Hanukkah reminds us that while the candles are lit for eight nights, the light is always meant to carry forward.
Wishing everyone a bright and beautiful final day of Hanukkah that carries well into the ninth night and beyond.
Warmly,
Josh Micley