Jewish community, local leaders highlight antisemitism at Lexington Hanukkah celebration
Members of Lexington’s Jewish community, joined by Mayor Linda Gorton and other officials, called for an end to antisemitic rhetoric while celebrating the third night of Hanukkah at Triangle Park Tuesday.
“Together we stand to shine a light against antisemitism,” said Mindy Haas, executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Bluegrass. “Even one small candle has the power to illuminate the darkness.”
The Anti-Defamation League says there were more than 2,700 antisemitic incidents logged in the U.S. in 2021.
“To have a civil society, we must unite together,” Haas told those in attendance. “When we come together, America will be a safe place not only for the Jews, but for everyone.”
This is the second year Lexington has had a public celebration of the Festival of Lights.
The downtown celebration is funded through a grant from the Jewish Federations of North America’s Shine A Light initiative, which was launched last year and aims to increase awareness of the global problem of antisemitism.
Tuesday night’s observance was held in partnership with the Lexington Human Rights Commission.
“Let’s light the candle with hope for a future free of prejudice of the past and keep the love and spirit of community in our hearts,” Gorton said.
Several members of the urban county council, along with Sheriff Kathy Witt and Police Chief Lawrence Weathers, were also in attendance. On Sunday, Gov. Andy Beshear and other civic leaders participated in the lighting of the first candle.
The observance continues nightly through Sunday, when the eighth candle will be lit at sundown.
On Tuesday evening, Rabbi David Wirtschafter, of Temple Adath Israel, led the group in singing blessings as the third candle of the large menorah was lit alongside the city’s Christmas Tree.
Wirtschafter said Lexington residents reached out to support its Jewish community after attacks like the one at a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018.
“Lexington doesn’t just talk the talk, it walks the walk when it comes to denouncing bigotry,” he told the crowd, whether it comes in the form for antisemitism, misogyny, racism or bashing of members of the LGBTQ community. “We know we can count on you.”
Still, Haas said it’s important to continue speaking out and providing education, as well as visual demonstrations of Jewish culture like the menorah lighting.
“It takes (away) the fear of not knowing who Jewish people are,” she said in an interview, noting that antisemitism “happens every day to someone somewhere.”
“We have a decent-sized Jewish community here in Lexington,” she said. “We want people to understand that just because it’s different, it’s not bad or not wrong.”
This story was originally published December 20, 2022 at 10:13 PM.
