Recent Jewish festivals – Hanukkah in Bondi Beach, Yom Kippur in Heaton Park, and Simchat Torah in Israel – have been marked by deadly attacks, highlighting a global resurgence of antisemitism and leaving Jewish communities feeling less safe.
Darkness Overshadows Festival of Lights
Three Jewish festivals and three deadly attacks on Jewish people across different continents share a common thread: the intent to murder Jews. This pattern reverberates across Jewish communities worldwide.
Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, commemorates the miracle of the oil lasting for eight nights when it should have lasted only one. It is traditionally a time of joy, celebration, family, and gifts, meant to symbolize light overcoming darkness.
However, the darkness of antisemitism – hatred towards Jews and a murderous intent – continues to overshadow these celebrations, regardless of location.
The feeling of insecurity is widespread, impacting Jewish people globally.
In the UK, public lighting of the Chanukiah, the Hanukkah menorah, will continue in cities with Jewish communities. The Community Security Trust, responsible for protecting the British Jewish community, is discussing increased security and policing at Hanukkah events.
A tradition during Hanukkah is to place candles in windows, publicly displaying light even during the darkest of times.
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