H eadlines
Chanukah Event Focuses on Antisemitism
L OCA L
JARRAD SAFFREN | JE STAFF
THE JEWISH FEDERATION
of Greater
Philadelphia, in partnership with ADL-
Philadelphia and AJC South
Jersey/Philadelphia shined a
light on antisemitism on Nov. 30
in Center City.

Together, the groups hosted
a Chanukah candle-lighting
and a series of speakers
inside the Municipal Services
Building that, together, illumi-
nated antisemitic issues and
dispelled “the darkness of
hate,” as an event listing put it.

Jewish Federation CEO
Michael Balaban, Director
of Campaigns and Outreach
for the Anti-Defamation
League Shira Goodman and
American Jewish Committee
Philadelphia Councilman Allan Domb introduces the first speaker at the
“Shine a Light on Antisemitism” event.

Photo by Jarrad Saffren
Jewish Federation CEO Michael Balaban, left, and Philadelphia
Mayor Jim Kenney, center, light the menorah at the “Shine a Light on
Antisemitism” event in Center City on Nov. 30. 
Photo by Jarrad Saffren
Philadelphia/Southern New
Jersey Regional Director
Marcia Bronstein all spoke.

Representatives from the City
of Philadelphia, including
Mayor Jim Kenney, also
attended and addressed the
audience. The event was part of a
national initiative to “Shine
a Light on Antisemitism”
organized by the Jewish
Federations of North America.

More than 80 federations
across the country took part,
according to Allan Domb, a
city council member who
spoke at the local event.

Jewish Federation officials
purposely planned the local
version during the Festival of
Lights. Like most Chanukah
gatherings, it was also a celebra-
tion, they said. The listing
called it a chance to share “in
the light of love and acceptance
for the Jewish people.”
But unlike most Chanukah
gatherings, it was not just a
celebration. It was also another
reminder of “the danger
of antisemitism in all of its
4 DECEMBER 2, 2021
JEWISH EXPONENT
modern-day forms.”
“In recent years, the rate
of hate-motivated attacks in
America has been steadily
rising,” Balaban said. “We
cannot allow antisemitism or
any form of bigotry to remain
unchecked.” Robin Schatz, the Jewish
Federation’s director
of government affairs, said it was
the JFNA’s idea to align the
event with Chanukah. But she
added that the local organiza-
tion agreed with the decision.

“Given the uptick in
antisemitic attacks across the
country, they thought this
would be the right time to
shine a light,” Schatz said.

According to Schatz,
Chanukah is not just the
Festival of Lights, either. It’s a
reminder of the long history of
antisemitism. The Maccabees were revolting
against a king, Antiochus, who
tried to marginalize Jewish life.

And regionally, as Schatz
noted, antisemitism has reared
its ugly head.

Before the November
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