(Title) Standing Together in Unity: The Power of Community in the Face of Antisemitism
Hey there, folks! Amy Klein here, dropping by to discuss a prominent issue affecting our Jewish community this Hanukkah season.
Over the past few years, concerns about cultural appropriation—the misuse or exploitation of cultural symbols, traditions, or artifacts—have escalated. In our case, many non-Jews are borrowing or misrepresenting our traditions, like Christians celebrating a Christian version of Passover. Last year, a Jewish mother expressed her frustration, stating, "Christians already have their own celebration [of Jesus], they don't need to hijack and misrepresent our Jewish traditions."
But what makes this year's Hanukkah unique?
Many Jews feel anxious about publicly displaying their religion due to the growing fear of violence and targeting, from Williamsburg, Virginia, to New Brunswick, Canada. Public menorah lightings have been canceled in several locations, some out of fear of violence, while others claim that they want to promote tolerance. (Interestingly, the tradition of public menorah lightings wasn't created with the intention of being an inclusive addition to Christmas celebrations.)
Therefore, some are urging everyone to light a menorah as a way to demonstrate their solidarity with the Jewish community. "Antisemitism has increased by 388%. Jewish families feel isolated and scared. They're wondering how they can help," says Project Menorah, a new initiative encouraging non-Jews to light Hanukkah candles, created by actor Adam Kulbersh.
Kulbersh shared that his six-year-old son was excited about the Christmas decorations and wanted to hang up Hanukkah decorations as well. "His face fell" when Kulbersh mentioned the possibility of windows or menorahs, acknowledging the persistent antisemitism in Los Angeles, including swastikas painted on cars and graffiti on local schools, synagogues, and stores. However, when Kulbersh shared his concerns with non-Jewish friend Jennifer Marshall, she responded without hesitation, "We'll put a menorah up in the window."
Kulbersh felt an immediate sense of relief. "The stress we've all been experiencing for the last few months has eased," he said.
The project's website launched last week and has attracted thousands of visitors; people from more than 22 countries have joined in. Kulbersh noted that if a Jewish family refuses to light a menorah, seeing how others do so might make them feel less anxious about celebrating Hanukkah.
Most mothers in a local Facebook group support the idea of non-Jews lighting menorahs. "People get upset only when they feel this is cultural appropriation—not when it's a sign of support and solidarity," a mother said in response. "We need any support we can get."
"It's appropriate for people of another major religion to support Jews because Hanukkah celebrates ancient Israel and fights against its Greek-Syrian oppressors. Like a miracle, the oil that was supposed to last a day was enough for eight. They lit the menorah to celebrate their victory and redeem the temple," another person added.
This Hanukkah comes exactly two months after the brutal Hamas surprise assault that left 1,200 people dead, dozens of women raped, and 200 others kidnapped. The subsequent silence from some circles—especially women's groups and UN Women—was deafening. (1)
In my personal life, the silence from my non-Jewish friends and colleagues was deafening. I'm grateful for every public expression of support the Jewish community receives, from actors to friends like my Italian Catholic friend who hung posters of captive hostages around his neighborhood despite the risk of violence.
Like many Jews, I've also felt anxious this year. I've been hesitant to wear my first Jewish star, uncomfortable using "Chanukkah" or "Israel" at work, and wary of speaking Hebrew in public, fearing that no one was listening. My fear of participating in highly public Chanukkah events was only about the high quantity of fried food.
But this year, it seems trivial.
This Hanukkah, as Kulbersh and other Jews do, I too feel fear. I had trepidation about donning my first Jewish star; I had anxiety about mentioning "Chanukkah" or "Israel" at work, or speaking Hebrew because I never knew who would be listening. My anxiety about attending highly public Chanukkah celebrations in the past only stemmed from the fear of consuming too many fried foods!
But this year, it feels different.
Hope you enjoyed this revised version! Light up a menorah this year to show your solidarity lest the darkness prevail; add your own light to ours.
(1) UN Women condemns violence against women only on 12th December.
