Because the solar set Monday night, dozens of members of Boulder’s Jewish neighborhood gathered on Pearl Avenue Mall for the annual lighting of the menorah, within the very place the place members of the neighborhood had been attacked in June.
As they awaited the lighting, households gathered to speak, sang songs and loved sufganiyot, jelly-filled donuts which are historically eaten through the vacation.
This yr’s celebration comes after tragedies for the Jewish neighborhood, in Boulder and around the globe. Group members stated it serves as a reminder of the significance of sunshine.
“Hanukkah is basically all about recognizing the truth that the one technique to confront darkness is with mild and love and hope,” stated Rabbi Marc Soloway of Congregation Bonai Shalom in Boulder, who serves as rabbi for most of the victims of the June assault.
“We have to deliver mild and love and laughter and pleasure into the world,” he added.
Simply over six months in the past, a few of Boulder’s Jewish neighborhood had been attacked on Pearl Avenue whereas collaborating in a stroll for the Israeli hostages in Gaza. A number of had been injured and one lady, 82-year-old Karen Diamond, died of her accidents. On Sunday, 15 individuals had been killed and dozens extra injured in a taking pictures that focused a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Seaside in Sydney, Australia.
At Monday’s celebration, cops stored watch from round Pearl Avenue.
Chany Scheiner, co-director of the Boulder Heart for Judaism, stated she hoped lighting the menorah in the identical place because the Pearl Avenue assault would ship a message that “love is stronger than hate.”
“As an alternative of connecting this area to one thing detrimental, we’re actually including additional mild on this place,” Scheiner stated.
This yr, Barbara Steinmetz was chosen to mild the shamash, the “helper” candle used to mild the remainder of the menorah.
The neighborhood wished to honor Steinmetz, who survived the holocaust and the Pearl Avenue Mall assault.
This yr’s celebration additionally featured a brand new menorah, created specifically for Boulder by Rabbi Yitzchok Moully.
“When the terrorist assault happened right here in Boulder, I knew that I wished to deliver additional mild to Boulder,” he stated.
Moully stated he hoped individuals would go away Monday’s celebration with “an additional dose of Jewish pleasure.”
“There’s quite a lot of darkness on the market, and it’s our job to unfold mild,” Moully stated.
Cody Townsend got here as a result of he knew his grandmother would have wished him to.
“I knew I used to be gonna be afraid to return to some form of Jewish celebration, and I feel it’s essential to return out for stuff like this, even once you’re afraid of expressing your id or of violence,” Townsend stated.
Ed Victor, who was collaborating within the Run for his or her Lives stroll when the assault occurred, stated he was glad to see individuals celebrating.
“The tragedy that occurred right here doesn’t cease us from coming and having the ability to additionally have fun,” Victor stated.
