Hanukkah means more amid rise in antisemitism for Jewish people in Greater Columbus

Stephen and Andrea Britcher were raised in different states and attended different universities, but when they met each other in Columbus, it was their shared Jewish heritage that brought them together.

Their Jewish identity has grown to be a core part of who they are. And it's why, come Sunday on the first night of Hanukkah, the Britchers will light a menorah and place it in the front window of their Worthington home — just as they do every year.

It may be a tradition the Britchers undertake annually, but 2022 is no ordinary year for Jewish people as they prepare to celebrate the eight-day "festival of lights." For many, celebrations have taken on an added resonance amid a wave of antisemitism both in Ohio and across the country.

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Andrea said she knows of others in Columbus who are reticent to display their menorahs in their front windows this year as antisemitic acts are on the rise. But for Andrea, 34, and Stephen, 39, the decision to publicly and proudly display their menorah came naturally.

"It's about sharing the traditions, and I think if anything, this year it's just as important in remaining just as steadfast in celebrating those traditions, not stepping back in fear of what might happen but staying true to what we've always done," Stephen said.

A record number of antisemitic incidents in Ohio

In 2021, Ohio had a record-high number of reported antisemitic incidents since the state began tracking them in 1979, according to Anti-Defamation League data. The annual audit showed that the 50 antisemitic incidents in Ohio last year represented a 16% increase over 2020 and a 43% increase over the annual average.

Across the United States, the Anti-Defamation League report showed a 34% increase in incidents and a 167% rise in assaults in particular.

Famous figures, such as Kanye West — the performer who now goes by Ye — and Kyrie Irving, a basketball star for the Brooklyn Nets, have further amplified antisemitic sentiments through public statements that have made national news.

Locally, authorities arrested a former Ohio National Guardsman in March after he allegedly made threats online regarding the Columbus Torah Academy, where he worked as a security guard. And in November, antisemitic graffiti was found in a stairwell inside an academic building at Ohio State University.

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“The world remains a world where the Jew is often a canary in the mineshaft, where hatred directed toward Jews will ultimately be hatred directed toward others,” said Rabbi Morris Allen, the transitional head of school at Columbus Jewish Day School in New Albany. “It's vile, it is vicious and it is dangerous — and it should be a warning sign to any society.”

Educating others about Judaism

In response to the rise in antisemitism, some rabbis and other Jewish leaders in central Ohio are focusing on educational efforts and reinforcing the importance of such visible displays as public menorah lightings that showcase Jewish pride and solidarity.

Many point to the history of Hanukkah being rooted in Jewish people overcoming oppression, a theme they say resonates stronger than ever this year.

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The story is one of Jews triumphing over the majority religion of the time, more than 2,000 years ago, by refusing to worship Greek gods in ancient Israel. Celebrations include lighting a candle on a candelabra each day of the holiday in order to commemorate how a one-day supply of oil was used to light the ancient menorah and kept it lit for eight days.

“This year, the act of celebrating Hanukkah for me does have a deeper meaning,” said Karen Mozenter, CEO of Jewish Family Services, a social services agency that serves Holocaust survivors, refugees and new Americans of all ethnic backgrounds and faiths. “Lighting the candles this year for me, it's an act of solidarity, it's an act of pride in our Jewish identity, and for some people it’s even an act of courage.”

Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann, executive director of the Lori Schottenstein Chabad Center in New Albany, is the organizer behind the long-running Columbus festival, Eight Nights of Fun.

This year's festival will begin Sunday in grand style with a skydiver dressed as Judah Maccabee, the hero of the Hanukkah story, who will parachute into Bevelhymer Park in New Albany to light a menorah.

It's Kaltmann's belief that such events — which anyone is invited to attend regardless of their religious beliefs — help build understanding in the community of what the Jewish faith and traditions mean.

“The whole theme — the whole meaning of Hanukkah — is that light pushes away darkness,” Kaltmann said. “That’s how you dispel darkness, by lighting a flame, by kindling hope, by making Hanukkah an exciting festival."

Other organizations, such as JewishColumbus, a nonprofit agency that funds local Jewish programs, also have hosted public Hanukkah events. Last Sunday, 75 people gathered at Temple Beth Shalom in New Albany to decorate Hanukkah cookies with their children and participate in themed crafts as part of an event hosted by Young JewishColumbus and PJ Library.

"While the challenges that Jewish people face change from generation to generation, celebrating Hanukkah is a constant reminder of our charge to drive out darkness, fight oppression and ensure a more just world," said Jess Reback, senior director of talent and culture at JewishColumbus.

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As the Britchers prepare to begin their Hanukkah celebration, they can't help but think of their 18-month-old son, Emmett, and the values they hope to instill in him.

Andrea recalls her own youth, when she would help friends decorate their Christmas trees and they in turn would help her light her family's menorah. Stephen grew up in a house where both Christmas and Hanukkah were celebrated.

Now they have immersed themselves in Columbus' Jewish community, becoming members of Congregation Tifereth Israel on Columbus' East Side and becoming active in numerous organizations. Andrea co-chairs the Jewish Community Relations Council, where she advocates for issues important to the Jewish community, while Stephen is active on the Young JewishColumbus board and is also a member of Leadership JewishColumbus.

They've sought to foster a sense of belonging and pride among other Jewish people while building bridges with those outside the faith. It's that respect and appreciation for not only their own religious heritage but also the beliefs and traditions of others that they hope their son grows to embody.

"We can focus on educating and using our voice to bring light and happiness and joy of what the message of Hanukkah is," Andrea said. "It is about finding ways to share with others; it's inviting others into your home to share."

Eric Lagatta is a reporter at the Columbus Dispatch covering social justice issues and nonprofits.

elagatta@dispatch.com

@EricLagatta

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Hanukkah carries added weight for many Jews amid rise in antisemitism