St. Louis-area Jewish clergy are offering a one-hour online learning session each day of Hanukkah this year. The “Eight Days of EnLIGHTenment” education series is sponsored by the St. Louis Rabbinical and Cantorial Association, whose membership includes rabbis and cantors from all branches and streams of Judaism.  All sessions are free, but registration is required to receive the link to the Zoom sessions.

Rabbi Lane Steinger, rabbi emeritus of Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Community, will teach the session on the first day of Hanukkah, Friday, Dec. 11, at noon. His topic is “Some Hanukkah Halakhot (Laws) for Folks Who Aren’t Halakhic.” 

On Saturday, Dec. 12 at 9:30 a.m., Rabbi Rachel Bearman of Congregation Shaare Emeth will lead an exploration of Judah and Judith, two leaders that the Jewish tradition associates with the holiday of Hanukkah. 

The topic on the third day, Sunday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. is “The Secret Origins of Hanukkah: the universal themes that underlie Hanukkah’s celebration of the fight against assimilation.” Rabbi Garth Silberstein of Bais Abraham Congregation will lead the session.

Rabbi Carnie Rose and Rabbi Brigitte Rosenberg are co-leading the Dec. 14 session at 5 p.m., titled  “Fresh Eyes on our Hanukkah celebrations…a fascinating exploration of the inner meanings of the Festival of Lights” (This session is offered in partnership with the Z3 project led locally by the Jewish Community Center. Learn more at www.z3project.org.) 

On Dec. 15 at noon, Rabbi Elizabeth Hersh at Temple Emanuel offers “From Persia to Tunisia, Moscow to Israel,”  a virtual travelogue exploring various traditions of Hanukkah.

Rabbi Mark Shook, rabbi emeritus at Temple Israel, will discuss “Hanukkah: The holiday the Rabbis Could Not Delete” on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at noon.

“Poetry and Light: Finding Inspiration at the Darkest Time of Year” is the offering on Hanukkah’s seventh day, Dec. 17, at noon. Rabbi Karen Bogard of Central Reform Congregation will lead the session.

Closing out the series on the last day of Hanukkah, Friday, Dec. 18, at noon, Rabbi Janine Schloss of Shir Hadash Reconstructionist Community and Rabbi Noah Arnow of Kol Rinah will lead “Healing Lessons of Hanukkah: Miracles, War, and Light” 

To register for the sessions, visit www.stlrca.org.