In this Hanukkah-themed episode of Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Jon Frankel welcome writer and public intellectual Yossi Klein Halevi for a rich conversation about Jewish identity, the multiple meanings of Hanukkah, and how the holiday resonates differently in America and Israel. From the miracle of the oil to the Maccabees’ fight for sovereignty to modern questions of power, safety, and belonging, they explore how Hanukkah’s stories shape Jewish life today—and how recent events have reignited questions of vulnerability, resilience, and community.
This week on Common Faith, Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove and Emmy Award–winning journalist Jon Frankel unwrap the deeper meaning of Hanukkah—beyond latkes, dreidels, and eight nights of gifts. Joining them is renowned writer and public intellectual Yossi Klein Halevi, whose personal journey from Brooklyn to Jerusalem illuminates the holiday’s layered history and its evolving place in Jewish identity.
Together, they explore the many versions of the Hanukkah story: the miracle of the oil, the military victory of the Maccabees, the struggle against assimilation, and the celebration of reclaimed Jewish sovereignty. Yossi reflects on growing up as the son of Holocaust survivors, his early attraction to Jewish extremism, and the decades-long transformation that led him toward a more expansive, nuanced understanding of Judaism, Israel, and power.
From public menorahs in Israeli town squares to quiet candle-lighting in American homes, the conversation traces how Hanukkah is celebrated across cultures—and how October 7th has reshaped Jewish vulnerability, resilience, and collective memory worldwide. With candor, humor, and heart, Elliot, Jon, and Yossi hold space for the tensions, debates, and hopes pulsing through Jewish life today.
A moving and timely episode that reminds us: Hanukkah isn’t just a holiday—it’s a lens on identity, history, and the stories we choose to pass on.
Yossi Klein Halevi
https://www.yossikleinhalevi.com/
https://www.facebook.com/YossiKleinHalevi/
Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove:
https://www.instagram.com/elliot_cosgrove
Park Avenue Synagogue
https://www.pasyn.org