Public Menorah Lighting Ceremonies

Image from the official website of the Ukraine Presidency

I have certainly had issues with Chabad-Lubavitch. Issues that I believe still exist, although mostly beneath the surface. The idea that their long-ago deceased Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson could arise from the dead to become Moshiach is still alive and well in the hearts of the  majority of Lubavitch Chasidim. The only differences among them being on how likely it would be for that to happen.

If I had to guess, I would say that most Lubavitchers believe it is unlikely to happen even though they believe it possible. On the other hand, there are significant numbers of them that believe he actually will arise as Moshiach. What the percentages are, I don’t know.

Either way, they don’t talk about it that much anymore. At least not publicly (if at all). Point being that they have returned focus to what they do best and the controversy has died down. Chabad has gone back to the business of reaching out to Jews with little to no background and convincing them to become more Jewish. Something for which the entire Orthodox Jewish community ought to give them credit for. This is their mission.

A mission given to them by their Rebbe to spread out all over the world where one will find Jews, no matter how small in number. The Rebbe encouraged his Chasidim to become Shiluchim – his emissaries for the purpose of inspiring Jews who have not had the benefit of a Jewish education or the experience of living in a Jewish community committed to observance.

They do this without pressure. They don’t preach. They do it by friendship and example. They do it by showing pride in their Jewishness. And as noted they are spread out all over the world. As long as there are some Jews in a town or a city worldwide, one will find a Chabad Shaliach there ready, willing, an able to show all ‘commers’ what Judaism is all about in the most positive ways possible. Lubavitch Shalichim are the most giving people I know.

When it comes to reaching out to non observant Jews, no one does it better than them. And no one is more successful at it than them. One can quibble with some of their methods. But no one can quibble with their success.

One of their ‘methods’ comes around every year at this time. Every Chanukah they put up a giant Menorah in a public space somewhere in non Orthodox or diverse Jewish neighborhoods. They then somehow get public officials (like governors, mayors and even presidents) involved in public candle lighting ceremonies. If one of those officials are Jewish all the better. They got him to do a Mitzvah in public. This happened yesterday to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who is Jewish.

All of which results in a major public display of doing a Mitzvah in a positive way. This is a great public relations achievement. Which can easily spark the dormant pride a secular Jew might have in his Judaism.

I used to be upset at religious displays on public property. At the minimum I thought it was a violation of the separation clause of the first Amendment. Doing something like that, I thought, would generate unwanted negative publicity where a bunch of fanatic Jews were insinuating themselves into their religious holiday. I thought that a lot of Christians wouldn’t like that. And that we had little to gain by doing it. I saw no Mitzvah in such displays. Only possible problems that might result in antisemitic feelings from our non-Jewish neighbors.

But I changed my mind. I was wrong. That came home to me again last night when the local news media here in Chicago last night had a segment where a Catholic reporter could not say enough about how he enjoyed the candle lighting ceremony in Chicago’s Lakeview neighborhood. Lakeview is a mixed upscale neighborhood consisting of a lot of heterodox and Modern Orthodox Jews, as well as a lot of non-Jews. The Catholic reporter was loving the experience. He saw Jews dancing and singing – all celebrating Chanukah. And the food was delicious. There were a lot of non Jews there as well who joined in the reverie – and enjoyed the food. One of them was interviewed and said that he had just celebrated Christmas and, he saw this event as doubling his joy.

I have never seen such a fuss made by non Jews over a Menorah candle lighting until last night. This neighborhood is politically liberal. And lately liberalism has not been our friend. And yet the feeling was one of warmth and friendship. The kind of warmth and friendship towards us I always talk about when it comes to the American people. Regardless of their politics.

I have to give credit to Chabad for creating an environment where this can happen. It is not only good PR for the Jewish people it is a great motivator for secular Jews to become more involved in their Judaism. And for this, Chabad deserves the gratitude of the entire Orthodox Jewish world.