The oldest public menorah outside of Israel will be lit in San Francisco’s Union Square Thursday night.
It’s a traditional start to Hanukkah that's been observed for thousands of years, but given the war in Gaza, this year’s lighting will be quite different.
“The theme of Hanukkah, is that just a little light pushes away a lot of darkness,” said Rabbi Yosef Langer with Chabad of San Francisco.
"You fight darkness, you fight evil with light, with love. That’s how you do it," Langer said.
It will be lit against a background of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the ensuing war in Gaza and a rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia in the Bay Area.
“Here in San Francisco, all around the world, the Jewish people have united and have became more stronger as a people, as a community,” said Langer. “We cannot fall into that trap of being afraid to practice our religion, especially in America, when we have freedom of the religion, the land of the free, and the home of the brave.”
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The city has dramatically increased security in and around Union Square for the holiday season. While Governor Gavin Newsom canceled the in-person tree lighting at the State Capital Tuesday night because of concerns over potential violence, Langer has no such worries about Wednesday night.
“So we have to be mindful of any threats or any concerns. But at the same time, really, we have to double and triple our awareness to stand up for our principles and our faith,” he said.
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The ceremony at Union Square begins at 3:30 p.m. with the menorah lighting at 5 p.m. The rabbi said 2,000 candles will be given out to anyone interested in helping spread the light this holiday season.
