Gabrielle’s childhood Disney menorah.
Welcome back to the Archive Deep Dive! As we approach Hanukkah in our final Deep Dive of the year, I find myself reflecting on the classic Hanukkah song “Light One Candle” and what we can do so that we “don’t let the light go out.” How have we as an organization and as a community tended to our light in times of spiritual (and past 4pm during a Massachusetts winter, sometimes physical) darkness?
The beautiful thing about Mayyim Hayyim’s extensive immersion ceremony library is that it never stops growing. Over the past two decades, we have expanded our library by creating and collecting numerous new ceremonies, many of which are born of the real-life experiences of our community members in order to support anyone who may be experiencing something similar.
Recently, our Program Manager Eliot and I discovered a ceremony that was created to celebrate being fully vaccinated against COVID-19. While not necessarily a popular ceremony in 2025, it exists now as a reminder that we can adapt and find hope and spiritual connection even in times of hardship. This ceremony celebrates the inner strength of all who endured the pandemic, and it’s heartwarming to know that guests had the option to find that kind of spiritual support here during that time to mark a secular transition
This ceremony begins with the following intension:
I immerse today in celebration of being fully vaccinated.
May this immersion help me move from what has been and may my heart be open to what is yet to come.
When I emerge from these mayyim hayyim, these living waters, may I be filled with renewed energy and a sense of direction for my life’s journey. May God grant me strength, courage, and peace. Amen.
The more I uncover in the archives, the more it becomes clear that incredible records like this wouldn’t exist without continued support from the community. Donations, large and small, are what has helped keep our lights on, both literally and symbolically, for the past two decades. I am so excited to see what 2026 brings, and I’ll continue to share some of the incredible records I find along the way. Happy Hanukkah from the Mayyim Hayyim Archives!
Gabrielle Keen
Archivist
Pronouns: she/they