Hanukkah Lights Illuminate Jewish Italy

On December 14, as Hanukkah’s first light illuminated synagogues, community spaces and public squares throughout Italy, the festive feelings mixed with pain in the wake of the antisemitic attack in Bondi Beach, Australia. Hundreds of people participated in the public menorah lighting in Piazza Barberini, in Rome’s center. “While we try to bring light into the world, there are those who seek to extinguish it. Terrorism aims at generating fear, but we refuse to second it,” said Rabbi Shalom Hazan of Chabad, the organization that since 1988 promotes the event. UCEI president Noemi Di Segni highlighted that Italian Jews are not afraid for themselves, but for “us together, for civilization, democracy, and about those using rights and democracy to infiltrate civil society.” “They will never take away our hope and light, a light of peace and respect,” said Victor Fadlun, president of Rome’s Jewish Community. He addressed the anti-Israel and anti-Jewish activists as being “partially responsible” for what happened. “The light of Israel must not be extinguished,” said Rome’sChief Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni. “They tried to do so throughout history, but they never succeeded. The light of Israel is our strength, and they will not defeat us.”

In Milan, Chief Rabbi Alfonso Arbib remembered the 15 victims killed while celebrating Hanukkah. “We feel pain and anger. For two years, we have been denouncing the rise in antisemitism, but our concerns have been minimized or even denied,” he said. “Today, being Jewish in public is difficult,” added the rabbi. “It is difficult to affirm one’s Jewish identity publicly or to speak as Jews at universities. Nobody would have ever imagined living in a situation as this. We ask that the problem of antisemitism not be hidden anymore.” A few hours later, the appeal echoed in Piazza San Carlo, next to the Duomo. Hundreds of people celebrated together. “Your presence today shows the courage of this moment,” said Rabbi Levi Hazan. He added, “From the October 7 pogrom to the massacre on Bondi Beach, the world has seen an increase in antisemitism. Those who attack us want to make us afraid. The answer is not to give in.” Walker Meghnagi, the president of Milan’s Jewish Community, echoed this message, inviting people to “multiply the lights in all Milan’s squares to combat darkness and fear.”