Photo: Alamy
President Donald Trump delivered a hopeful message in honor of Hanukkah this week, noting that the “miracle” of the holiday began “more than 2,000 years ago when a proud group of Jewish patriots courageously stood up and reclaimed their faith, the freedom, and their traditions from an oppressive tyrant.”
The celebration of Hanukkah, or Chanukah, is a Jewish event centered on reflecting on the successful Jewish revolt against the Syrian armies of Antiochus. It also represents the plight of the Jewish people, who have been wholly discriminated against and abused for thousands of years by various empires.
“After that great victory, the Jewish heroes prepared to rededicate the holy temple but found only enough oil to light the lamp for one night,” Trump continued. “Yet, by the grace of the Almighty, the flames radiated for eight days and eight nights. Ever since, the Menorah has been a symbol of Jewish perseverance in the face of oppression and of God’s hope, mercy, and love in times of hardship.”
He acknowledged that the Jewish community around the world was “still reeling” from the “monstrous” attacks by Hamas on Israel, which has ignited a firestorm of shocking anti-Semitism across the globe.
“To everyone touched by these barbaric atrocities, we pray that God will bring you healing, comfort, and peace,” the president stated.
He vowed to “recommit ourselves to extinguishing the evil of anti-Semitism from the Earth.” The president also reaffirmed “solidarity with the Jewish people” and noted that with God’s help, “light will overcome this horrible darkness.”
President Donald Trump’s kind Hanukkah address comes at a time when the Jewish community has been rocked to its core by the conflict in the Middle East, and just a few days after the six-year anniversary of the historic Abraham Accords that took place during the Trump administration.