December 7, 2023: In lights

There’s plenty to illuminate here in the 413 this week.

Including the holiday that is literally all about illumination and resilience. It’s the first day of Hannukah, so we check in with Rabbi Amy Wallk of Temple Beth El in Springfield about the weeklong celebration, including its origins, the nature of modern participation in the holiday, and its significance in light of the ongoing conflict in the West Bank.

There’s light being shown on our connections with each other as well. The band ReBelle will host “Love for Humanity” a combination concert and teach-in at the Northampton Center for the Arts on Dec. 10th. We sit with the driving force behind the band, Manou Africa and Kalpana Devi, as well as one of their children and former bandmates, Naia Kete, to get a preview of the way they use music and connection to transcend and build community.

Speaking of that community, a study has recently been released that examines the import and impact of the arts on their greater communities. Considering that all areas of the arts have and are taking longer to recover from the pandemic than expected, its a welcome area of scrutiny. VP of research for Americans for the Arts, Randy Cohen, stops through the studio to share their hopeful findings and what this may mean for the future of the arts in our area and possibly the country.

And our weekly chat with Congressman Jim McGovern covers how un-enlightening the recent republican debates were, as well as developments regarding the ongoing plight of national hunger within the USDA.