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As Jewish communities worldwide celebrated Hanukkah this week, the festivities were clouded by the ongoing global surge of antisemitic incidents triggered by the October 7th Hamas attack in Israel.
Even in calmer times, the annual eight-day Jewish “Festival of Lights” is generally accompanied by a spike of antisemitic incidents globally, as the holiday’s high visibility — with menorahs on display in prominent open locations and the windows of private homes — provides an easily-accessible, target-rich environment for Jew-haters.
Unfortunately, this year was no exception. In the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, a public menorah was damaged on Dec. 5 in a suspected vandalism incident.
Menorah damaged in Lakeview just before the start of Hanukkah https://t.co/SqiYOLnzDA
— FOX 32 News (@fox32news) December 7, 2023
In the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, one public menorah was pushed over by an unidentified vandal on Dec. 5 and another was stolen two days later. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) is investigating the incidents.
Chabad of Sunset Park’s Menorah was stolen 2 days after another Chabad Sunset Park Menorah was vandalized.
Stolen Menorah was last seen on Sunset Park Center lawn, last night 11PM. NYPD notified.
Join the Grand Army Plaza Menorah lighting tonight & send a message to the haters pic.twitter.com/AvwbWEMEL6
— Yaacov Behrman (@ChabadLubavitch) December 7, 2023
On the first night of Hanukkah, Dec. 7, a menorah was toppled outside a Chabad synagogue in Olney, Maryland, near Washington, D.C.
Menorah vandalized outside Olney synagogue hours before Hanukkah celebrations set to begin https://t.co/LcaXjjujlc
— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) December 8, 2023
On Dec. 9, an anti-Israel demonstrator desecrated a public menorah displayed on the Green in downtown New Haven, Connecticut, by hanging a Palestinian flag on it.
Yesterday in New Haven, CT, a Menorah, a historic symbol of Jewish heritage, was desecrated by pro-Palestinian demonstrators. Such acts are not legitimate criticisms of Israel. Attacking Jewish symbols directly is antisemitism.
These actions must be recognized for what they are:… pic.twitter.com/aAVIpEszkm— Sacha Roytman (@SachaRoytman) December 10, 2023
In Memphis, Tennessee, a bakery was bombarded with antisemitic messages on its Instagram page in response to a Hanukkah greeting it posted for its Jewish customers last week.
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In Juno Beach, Florida, a giant sand-sculpted menorah was defaced with a Nazi swastika on Tuesday.
Giant sand-sculpted menorah in Juno Beach defaced with swastikahttps://t.co/ZIFphtwtHI
— WPTV (@WPTV) December 12, 2023
The same day, a menorah in Oakland, California, was destroyed, with its pieces hurled into Lake Merritt. The Oakland Police Department has opened a hate crime investigation, with Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao saying she was “outraged by this desecration and act of vandalism.”
“I want to be very clear that what happened was not just an attack on Oakland’s Jewish Community but our entire city and our shared values,” Mayor Thao said. “We stand together against hate, against antisemitism and against bigotry in any form. Any when someone commits such a crime, they are attacking the foundation of our city.”
The malicious destruction of a public menorah in Lake Merritt, #Oakland, accompanied by hateful graffiti, is just the latest example of rampant antisemitism tearing apart the Bay Area.
There’s no room for debate; this vicious act unequivocally deserves condemnation. pic.twitter.com/0ZRWkawGNr
— JCRC Bay Area (@SFJCRC) December 13, 2023
On Wednesday, in Washington D.C, pro-Hamas demonstrators threatened to kill guests leaving a Hanukkah party at the Israeli embassy.
Pro-Hamas protesters threaten to kill Jewish attendees as they leave the Israeli Embassy’s Hanukkah ceremony in Washington, DC. Watch as a woman screams, “We will kill you all, occupiers.” pic.twitter.com/TNBANr8QAe
— Israel War Room (@IsraelWarRoom) December 13, 2023
In New York City on Wednesday, demonstrators marched through a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in Queens handing out fliers calling to “Shut Down Night Light,” listing three public menorah locations across the city.
#NYC Clashes as Pro-Palestine protesters march through predominantly Jewish neighborhood on 108th street Queens, circling multiple Menorahs. Pro-Israel Counter Protesters followed behind as fliers called to “Shut Down Night Light”, listing 3 Menorah locations in NYC
— Oliya Scootercaster 🛴 (@ScooterCasterNY) December 12, 2023
Also on Wednesday, in another incident in the San Francisco Bay Area, a Hanukkah ceremony at a Berkeley City Council meeting was disrupted by protesters chanting “Free Palestine” and “Stop using your religion to justify killing.”
As our community sings Hine Ma Tov, a song representing peace and community, disrupters yell “stop using your religion to justify killing” and “free Palestine.” pic.twitter.com/b3sUdeg6WB
— JCRC Bay Area (@SFJCRC) December 13, 2023
In Williamsburg, Virginia, a monthly street fair, the 2nd Sundays Art and Music Festival, refused to host a public menorah-lighting ceremony on Dec. 10, with festival organizer Shirley Vermillion saying it did not “want to make it seem we’re choosing a side — supporting the killing/bombing of thousands of men, women and children.”
Singling out the Jewish community by canceling this Hanukkah celebration is absurd and antisemitic.
The event organizers should immediately reconsider their actions and move forward with the menorah lighting. https://t.co/smc7P3xgoX
— Governor Glenn Youngkin (@GovernorVA) December 4, 2023
In Canton, Ohio, it was reported this week that a 13-year-0ld boy had been arrested and charged with plotting a mass shooting at a local synagogue, Temple Israel.
In the city of Norwich, in eastern England, the city council reduced its public Hanukkah celebrations to one night, instead of eight, due to security concerns, reflecting the heightened vigilance worldwide amid the sharp rise in violence and harassment Jews have been facing over the past two months.
On Tuesday, in the suburban community of Val-de-Marne, near Paris, France, a knife-wielding man entered a Jewish daycare center and threatened its female director with rape and mutilation.
“You’re a Jew, you’re a Zionist. Five of us are going to rape you, cut you up like they did in Gaza,” the assailant threatened, before fleeing the scene.
In Poland on Wednesday, a far-right parliament member, Grzegorz Braun, used a fire extinguisher to put out the candles of a menorah that had been lit for Hanukkah.
Warsaw, Poland – Right wing MP Grzegorz Braun, who has a history of eccentric behavior against the Jewish community, takes a fire extinguisher to a Hanukkah menorah inside Poland’s parliament.
Imagining trying to celebrate your holiday and this happens.
pic.twitter.com/4TO4s3xHja— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) December 12, 2023
In Canada last week, a CTV Toronto report on preparations for a menorah-lighting ceremony included unrelated images of the current fighting in the Gaza Strip.
What is this, @CTVToronto? Is there no time delay for live broadcasts? Which employee made the editorial decision to link the war against Hamas in Gaza to the Jewish holiday of Chanukah? Please explain why anyone should believe this was not a premeditated act of #antisemitism pic.twitter.com/2nuaHWkTXq
— B’nai Brith Canada (@bnaibrithcanada) December 7, 2023
On Thursday, law enforcement authorities in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands announced the arrests of seven people, including four suspected Hamas members, on suspicion of planning attacks targeting Jewish institutions in Europe.
The rash of Hanukkah-related antisemitic incidents highlights the need for law enforcement agencies to prioritize the protection of Jewish sites, particularly during major holidays, when the threat of antisemitic vandalism and violence always rises.
Furthermore, policymakers at all levels have a pivotal role to play in devising and implementing steps to combat discrimination and prejudice targeting Jews. It is essential for governmental bodies to prioritize education programs that promote cultural awareness and religious tolerance, fostering an environment where diverse communities can coexist harmoniously.
Legislative measures to prevent hate crimes and ensure the protection of religious freedoms must be strengthened, and policymakers should actively engage with community leaders to understand the specific challenges faced by the Jewish people and work collaboratively to develop strategies to effectively counter antisemitic sentiments.
For more information on CAM’s antisemitism incidents data, which is collected on a weekly basis, please visit: combatantisemitism.org/research
