As the sun set Monday evening, dozens of members of Boulder’s Jewish community gathered on Pearl Street Mall for the annual lighting of the menorah, in the very place where members of the community were attacked in June.
As they awaited the lighting, families gathered to talk, sang songs and enjoyed sufganiyot, jelly-filled donuts that are traditionally eaten during the holiday.
This year’s celebration comes after tragedies for the Jewish community, in Boulder and around the world. Community members said it serves as a reminder of the importance of light.
“Hanukkah is really all about recognizing the fact that the only way to confront darkness is with light and love and hope,” said Rabbi Marc Soloway of Congregation Bonai Shalom in Boulder, who serves as rabbi for many of the victims of the June attack.
“We need to bring light and love and laughter and joy into the world,” he added.
Just over six months ago, some of Boulder’s Jewish community were attacked on Pearl Street while participating in a walk for the Israeli hostages in Gaza. Several were injured and one woman, 82-year-old Karen Diamond, died of her injuries. On Sunday, 15 people were killed and dozens more injured in a shooting that targeted a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia.
At Monday’s celebration, police officers kept watch from around Pearl Street.
Chany Scheiner, co-director of the Boulder Center for Judaism, said she hoped lighting the menorah in the same place as the Pearl Street attack would send a message that “love is stronger than hate.”
“Instead of connecting this space to something negative, we’re really adding extra light in this place,” Scheiner said.
This year, Barbara Steinmetz was chosen to light the shamash, the “helper” candle used to light the rest of the menorah.
The community wanted to honor Steinmetz, who survived the holocaust and the Pearl Street Mall attack.
This year’s celebration also featured a new menorah, created specially for Boulder by Rabbi Yitzchok Moully.
“When the terrorist attack took place here in Boulder, I knew that I wanted to bring extra light to Boulder,” he said.
Moully said he hoped people would leave Monday’s celebration with “an extra dose of Jewish pride.”
“There’s a lot of darkness out there, and it’s our job to spread light,” Moully said.
Cody Townsend came because he knew his grandmother would have wanted him to.
“I knew I was gonna be afraid to come to some sort of Jewish celebration, and I think it’s important to come out for stuff like this, even when you’re afraid of expressing your identity or of violence,” Townsend said.
Ed Victor, who was participating in the Run for their Lives walk when the attack happened, said he was glad to see people celebrating.
“The tragedy that happened here doesn’t stop us from coming and being able to also celebrate,” Victor said.
