CINCINNATI — Thousands of families in the Tri-State are celebrating the start of Hanukkah. The eight-day Jewish Festival commemorating when Jewish fighters liberated Jerusalem is celebrated from Dec. 7 to Dec. 15 this year.
“The message of Hanukkah is the message of light,” said Yisroel Mangel, director of Chabad Jewish Center. “The symbolism is, as the world gets dark, we kindle our menorah, re-light. We bring positive energy. We bring love to the outside.”
The Chabad Jewish Center kindled the menorah inside the Kenwood Towne Centre. Mangel said typically between 200 and 300 people show up. Around 100 people attended this year.
Even though it was a smaller crowd compared to years past, they still filled the room.
Happy Hanukkah 🕎
— Jessica Hart WCPO (@JessicaHartTV) December 8, 2023
Around 100 people came out to kindle the menorah at Kenwood Towne Centre. The menorah in red will stay at the mall until the end of Hanukkah. @WCPO pic.twitter.com/cx7YpyHeKg
“The people are here and they are not afraid of coming, and saying, and celebrating what’s right,” said Morry Wiener.
Wiener said Jews are scared to attend some of these public events. He traveled to Washington D.C. with hundreds of others from Cincinnati to attend the pro-Israel rally in November, talking with several college students on his way there and back.
“Kids are scared to go to school,” he said.
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Wiener told them it is important for them to remember who they are.
“You've got to be proud of who you are, do what’s right and learn what the facts are,” he said.
Mangel and Wiener said this is the most important Hanukkah to date because of the conflict in Israel and what’s happening at home in Cincinnati.
The Jewish Community Relations Council said since the war started there has been an antisemitic incident almost daily in the Greater Cincinnati area.
“It’s really shameful that the United States of America came this far to have the Jewish people scared,” Mangel said.
Mangel said he is proud of how the Jewish people have responded when they see hateful things.
“I’ve seen greater Jewish pride and that’s what I’ve seen and that’s what I’m proud of,” Mangel said.
That’s why, they said, it’s more important than ever to kindle your menorah for all to see.
“It’s just one little candle that can transform the darkness to light, to joy, to love, to health, to happiness for everybody,” Mangel said.
“Light is an amazing thing. Why? It’s going to show you the way to go,” Wiener said.
Mangel and Wiener said it’s important for the community to support the Jewish community.
“People are scared to say things and a lot of people say, 'It’s not our problem.' Yes, it is. This problem could happen to anybody, any place in this world,” said Wiener.
