Some in Jewish community 'on edge' at start of Hanukkah as antisemitism rises

Hanukkah is a festive eight-day celebration of lights that for many people falls during the darkest, coldest time of the year. This year, the menorah's first candle will be lit Thursday evening.

For some, the light will look and feel different this year.

"While my neighbors display an array of gorgeous lights to celebrate Christmas and fill their lawns with inflatables of the season to the delight of all passersby, we will kindle our Chanukiyot—some call them Chanukah menorahs—one extra candle each night of the holiday for the eight nights of this holiday," emailed Rabbi Peg Kershenbaum from the Congregation of B’nai Harim in Pocono Pines, using the traditional spelling for the holiday. "We’ll set these candles in the window where they can be seen to publicize the miracle. Or, at least, that’s what we do every other year. This year, many of us will have to think twice about displaying such a conspicuous sign of our Judaism."

The history of Hanukkah started during a turbulent time in Jewish history, around 200 B.C. when the Land of Israel (Judea) came under control of the Syrian King Antiochus III. He allowed the Jews that lived there to continue practicing their religion, until his son Antiochus IV outlawed it and ordered Jews to worship Greek gods. In 168 B.C. King Antiochus IV carried out a massacre of thousands of Jews and desecrated the city's holy Second Temple.

The Maccabees were Jewish fighters that stood up and led the revolt against the Syrian tyranny. They were the heroes of Hanukkah.

Kershenbaum said "it was a miraculous victory of the Maccabee family against a foreign ruler that sought to demoralize the Jews in his kingdom by forbidding religious practices essential to Jewish identity and by desecrating the Holy Temple in Jerusalem."

Kershenbaum explained that despite their victory, they found the Temple a shambles. The oil lamps that were to be kept burning continually had been quenched and only one small jar of oil remained. "The Maccabees knew that to produce pure oil would take seven days, but they poured the small amount of oil into the lamp and lit it. That small amount of oil lasted and lasted for eight days, long enough for a steady supply of pure oil to be procured."

Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, where Jews had risen up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt.

"This year, we may choose to follow the ancient principle set forth in the Talmud," said Kershenbaum. "In the early centuries of the Common Era, as well as over the following centuries in many places, it was not safe to display the lamps in one’s window or outside of one’s dwelling. But we were always to light these lights, affirming to ourselves, if not to the world, that A Great Miracle Happened Then."

Kershenbaum lamented on the Jewish massacre by Hamas on Oct. 7 and the effects it is having on the Jewish population everywhere, including close to home in the Poconos.

"We are afraid for the Jewish communities in this country and the ones in Israel. We are sick at the loss of lives of Palestinians at the hands of their own people. Decent people are torn because no one likes bloodshed, but they know that this is a terrible challenge and threat to the survival of Israel," she said. "And that has direct ramifications for us in the United States. Antisemitic actions have increased drastically since the war began and people's political opinions are becoming even more written in stone."

Kershenbaum said people in her community "are on edge because of the rise in antisemitism." She said many of them also have homes in New York and they are very worried.

"Now we celebrate the faith and courage of those who pushed back against religious intolerance and tyranny and we re-enact the lighting of the lamps. We don’t expect one candle to last all eight nights, but we do have hopes that the light we bring to the world will endure throughout the ages," she said.

Kershenbaum said there is always a constable present at the synagogue during services, and this year there is an additional layer of need to help people feel more secure.

"There is a tremendous bafflement that people are feeling when they watch what's going on college campuses and in the halls of power," said Kershenbaum.

"Feeling that there's a lack of sympathy or empathy... and the lack of nuance is very frustrating."

According to Kershenbaum, all of these described feelings are very damaging with very profound impacts on many different levels to her congregation as well as their families.

"I've encouraged them to be as Jewishly intentional as they can," said Kershenbaum. "Such as, light their Sabbath candles, come to services, give to charities, read Jewish material, learn things, and even if they don't feel comfortable wearing a Jewish star on the outside, wear it on the inside of their clothing and continue to affirm their heritage. And they have been doing that."

Hannukah begins Thursday evening, Dec. 7, and ends Dec. 15.

"The skies are threatening snow and gloom fills the air. This is the season when we all need Light and Rededication. We all need to believe in miracles and we have to be brave and committed to our faith, whatever it is. These are the needs addressed by Chanukah," said Kershenbaum. "Some very bright lights came in the form of notes of concern from the Interfaith communities in the Poconos. The friendships that we have built with the Muslim community in the Chestnut Retreat Center, with the Christian churches in the Stroudsburg area and, of course the Top of the Mountain Ecumenical Center have been so important these days. People of good faith are blessings to us all."

Maria Francis covers K-12 education and real estate, housing and development for the Pocono Record. Reach her at mfrancis@poconorecord.com.

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: B’nai Harim rabbi reflects on Hanukkah during Israel-Hamas war