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NORTH CENTRAL OHIO — While some have been without power during a recent polar vortex that has swept across the nation, Richland County has no shortage of hope at the beginning of this winter. Despite frigid wind chills of twelve degrees on the first night of Hannukuh, several local observances of Hannukuh took place lighting up both the communities of Ontario and Lexington.
“The message of Hannukuh is about being dedicated and not compromising,” says Rabbi William Hallbrook of Sar Shalom Center in Ontario. “The menorah or ‘hanukkiah’ is a lampstand that shines in the darkness. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden, neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand to give light to everyone in the house. If the Messiah calls His followers the ‘light of the world,’ then having done all, we must stand.”
The eight-day celebration known as Hannukah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the second century B.C., where Jews rose up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors in the Maccabean Revolt. The Menorah is a lampstand that was used in the ancient temple and has been a symbol of Judaism since ancient times.
The Ontario gathering included a recitation of three blessings over the menorah lights and a traditional reading of Psalm 30. Hot chocolate and doughnuts were provided to those who braved the cold. The Lexington gathering incorporated songs and prayers.
“The City of Ontario has been very gracious these last two years to allow our congregation to utilize Marshall Park for the menorah display,” says Rabbi William Hallbrook. “It is our hope the menorah will be a radiant light for the community.”
Last year when City Council was first approached about allowing a menorah display on city property, Council President Eddie Gallo stated he believed local elected officials should know the pulse of their community, and not the pulse of other in-vogue metropolitan centers.
“Our First Amendment allows all types of speech to be showcased in the marketplace of ideas. If the United Nations is free to declare the birth of Israel as ‘a catastrophe,’ or if the New York Times is free to depict a swastika in its newspapers, then we should be free to display a holiday menorah in our own community. Those mistaken groups need to keep in mind, our light is shining on their deeds.”
Benjamin Mutti, Faith-based advocate for Israel
“We have to recognize and be in tune with the pulse of our community,” Gallo said. “I believe this is a faith-based community. I believe that not just Ontario but all of Richland County is faith-based. I want to operate in their best interests with the understanding of who my neighbors are, what they believe, and what they put us in these positions with those beliefs for. I am not interested in the beliefs of Los Angeles or Columbus for that matter.”
One of the coordinators of the public menorah lighting observances is grateful the City of Ontario protects the First Amendment and is distinctly set apart with its own corporate identity.
“Our First Amendment allows all types of speech to be showcased in the marketplace of ideas,” says Benjamin Mutti. “If the United Nations is free to declare the birth of Israel ‘a catastrophe,’ or if the New York Times is free to depict a swastika in its newspapers, then we should be free to display a holiday menorah in our own community. Those mistaken groups need to keep in mind, our light is shining on their deeds.”
Weeks before Hanukah, the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution commemorating the seventy-fifth anniversary of the rebirth of the Nation of Israel, calling it Nakba, or “a catastrophe.”
On the first day of Hannukuh, the New York Times was exposed for publishing a controversial crossword. The silhouette of a crossword puzzle bore an uncanny resemblance to a swastika, a symbol of hate during the Nazi regime that led to the extermination of millions of Jews during the Holocaust.
Despite the rising tide of anti-Semitism, North Central Ohio remains known for its staunch support of Israel thru its county government investment of Israeli bonds and strong advocacy from the faith community. Last year local clergy received a thank you letter for their efforts from Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Bottom Line:
The Bible says in Matthew Chapter Five, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
View the slideshow below of several public menorah lightings in North Central Ohio.
The menorah is a symbol most often seen during the Hanukkah holiday. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio) 
Holiday display of menorah at Marshall Park in Ontario. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio) 
Group gathers in Ontario with 12 degree wind chill. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio) 
Holiday display of menorah at Lexington Community Park. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)
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