The menorah in Independence Mall, Philadelphia which was lit 50 years ago (photo: Lubavitch Centre of Philadelphia)[Missing Credit]
A decade later, a giant menorah appeared at London’s Golders Green Station. Now menorahs are lit across Israel and all over the world. Celebrities lead the lighting and the festive atmosphere is ramped up with music and doughnuts.
The inspiration for these ceremonies comes from a halachah that in addition to the candles that we kindle at home, we should also light a menorah in the synagogue. For the Rebbe, this not only commemorated the Temples’ menorah, it also created the principle that chanukiot should be lit in public places to spread the message of the festival far and wide.
The Rebbe suggested Chanukah carried a “universal message of freedom of the human spirit, freedom from tyranny and oppression, and of the ultimate victory of good over evil”. It was appropriate for people of all faiths and none to see a menorah.
But candle lightings were not just for gentiles. Chabad’s prime audience were the many Jews disconnecting from Judaism. Particularly in December when the world was awash with Christmas and Christianity, the Rebbe believed that public lightings of the menorah would give Jews the pride and confidence to identify with our people and its way of life.
It would make them feel more comfortable celebrating the festival, reassured that in a free country, there was no reason to hide one’s Jewishness.
Some Orthodox authorities criticised the recitation of blessings over chanukiot that were neither in the home nor the synagogue. Ironically, however, most of the resistance to the Rebbe’s initiative came from Reform and secular Jews.
They felt threatened by the influence of Christian culture on their children’s lives. Instead of responding by upgrading their children’s Jewish education, these parents campaigned to remove religious icons such as Christmas trees and nativity scenes from public spaces. Having won those battles, they were alarmed by Jews mobilising for mass menorah lightings which they feared would reignite the Church’s appetite for spreading its own message. They laid out their reservations in letters to the Rebbe, which they followed with a succession of lawsuits across America aimed at banning the menorah lightings.
The Rebbe listened carefully to their arguments, but he was not persuaded. He felt that Jews should not surrender their hard-won right to a place in the public square.
Moreover, the Rebbe wanted Jews to be confident about their identity and unafraid to show it, otherwise Judaism was doomed. “Jews” he wrote, ”should not create the impression that they are ashamed to show their Jewishness, nor should they create the impression that they wish to gain their neighbours’ respect by covering up their Jewishness.”
Rabbi Sacks echoed this idea that Jewish pride actually fortifies us against antisemitism with his mantra, “Non-Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism, and they are embarrassed by Jews who are embarrassed by Judaism.”
It is perhaps curious that Rabbi Zalman Lent, the creator of the camouflaged mezuzah, is a Chabadnik. But times and circumstances vary. Only recently, the Chabad Rabbi in Dubai was murdered for being a Jew.
Rabbi Lent proudly and publicly lights the chanukiah for the Jews of Dublin where he runs the Chabad House. But when antisemitic thugs ripped down the mezuzot of Jewish students studying at university there, he realised he had to act to help the victims hold on to their Judaism in these turbulent times.
So Chabad is supporting Jews who long to live full, open Jewish lives until it is safe for them to do so. Meanwhile, for the rest of us, they have turned Chanukah into a wonderful expression of Jewish pride.
Gideon Sylvester is the United Synagogue’s Israel Rabbi
see also How public menorahs became the most visible symbol of Chanukah
