Hanukkah is often described as a festival of lights, but at its heart, it is a story of courage. It is about standing up as a Jew, refusing to hide who we are and choosing pride over fear. That is why Jews celebrate with outdoor Hanukkah menorah lightings and place the menorah in our windows, not tucked safely inside but visible to the world. It is a declaration: We are here, and we will not be afraid.
And yet, once again, Jews are being attacked simply for being Jews. Most recently, Jewish lives were taken on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. This past year alone, there were high-profile attacks in Pennsylvania, Colorado and Washington, D.C. These are not isolated tragedies; they are part of a disturbing rise in antisemitism that is growing louder, more violent and more normalized.
Our community feels anger — anger at having to mourn again and again. We hear antisemitic rhetoric from both the left and the right. We feel the sting of silence from people and movements we once believed were allies. But individuals and institutions can break through the silence with a simple act.
In 1993, after a white supremacist threw a brick through the bedroom window of a 6-year-old Jewish boy in Billings, Montana, who had decorated his window for the holiday, The Billings Gazette published a paper menorah in response. During that Hanukkah, more than 10,000 people placed the paper menorah in their windows. The message was clear: Hate would not have the last word.
That message is more achingly needed today than ever. Please place a paper menorah in your window through Dec. 22. Show up for your Jewish neighbors. Stand against antisemitism and hate in all its forms. When any community is targeted, we must stand together. That is how we become stronger than hate.
Liz Paige, associate director of the United Jewish Federation of Utah and member of Community Partners Against Hate
Salt Lake City