LAS VEGAS (REGISTER) – Very rarely, Hanukkah begins this year on Christmas Day and while it is a time of celebration, many in the Jewish community are still reeling from the effects of the Hamas attacks.
It has been over a year since the Hamas attacks began on October 7, 2023.
Rabbi Sanford Askerad is the spiritual leader of the congregation for Ner Tamid, a Jewish synagogue in Henderson. He has focused on supporting those in need by raising money, bringing in different speakers, and praying.
“This year, we've seen a huge increase in antisemitism in our community and around the world,” explained Rabbi Askelrad. “We've had people who had family members taken hostage. we had people who had talked about the nature of terrorism and what Israel has been up against, at the same time I did a mission in February after October and went to some of these sites that were affected by this in the south, the Kibbutzim where the damage was done.”
The holiday spirit has been hard to come by from some in the Jewish community who suffer from anti-semitism and Rabbi Askelrad said this Hanukkah brings a new sense of meaning and solidarity.
“The theme of that holiday of Hanukkah is a fight for religious freedom, the first recorded fight for religious freedom so it's like tolerance, courage and Jewish pride and those three themes are still important today today,” said Rabbi Askelrad.
“In fact, one of the great commandments is to take your menorah and put it on your window and the idea is that we declare that we are Jews and that we are proud to be Jewish. “
Rabbi Askelrad invites everyone this holiday season to come together and draw attention during these difficult times.
“We just hope that people will support the Jewish community in general. That they show no tolerance for antisemitism or hatred against our people or any people for that matter,” said Rabbi Askelrad. “That they understand that what is going on in the Middle East is very complicated and complex and the ability to learn about what is going on is very important because it is a passionate issue, not only for the Jewish community, but for our country as we look for a way. to find peace in the Middle East.”
Hanukkah begins on December 25th and there will be public menorah lightings throughout the valley, including a menorah lighting ceremony hosted by Clark County on Monday, December 30th at 4:30 pm at the Clark County Rotunda government center.
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