Gov. Greg Abbott is scheduled to give a speech at a special event to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
In a press release from Abbott’s office, the announcement was made that the governor will be joined by Rabbi Yosef Levertov, Rabbi Mendy Levertov, and other local faith leaders at 4:30 p.m. on the South Lawn of the Texas Capitol on December 10.
Gov. Abbott will be lighting the shamash of the menorah during the ceremony.
Hanukkah is a significant Jewish holiday that means “dedication.” It is traditionally celebrated with a menorah, a branched candelabrum. This eight-day “festival of lights” involves lighting a candle each night of the holiday; one branch is lit along with a “helper” candle called a “shamash.”
The act of lighting the menorah’s candles symbolizes the miracle that took place when a small group of Jews battled against the army of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian-Greek king, and regained the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
After the Jewish people returned to the Temple, which the Syrian Greeks had defiled, they found a jar of pure olive oil that had not been contaminated, enough to light the menorah for only one day. However, when the olive oil was poured into the menorah and ignited, it surprisingly continued to burn for eight days, sufficient time to produce or obtain more olive oil so it could continue being lit every day, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Sunday’s ceremony comes just over two months since war broke out between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas.
“The State of Texas condemns these heinous acts of violence and inhumanity against Israel and its people by ruthless terrorists, and we stand ready to offer our complete support to the Israeli and Jewish communities,” said Gov. Abbott two days after Hamas launched a surprise attack in southern Israel in October, according to a press release.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, roughly 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were killed on October 7 when Hamas managed to launch an incursion into the country. Scores of others were kidnapped and transported into Gaza, dozens of whom have since been released as part of a prisoner exchange. Israeli military operations in the Palestinian territory have reportedly resulted in the deaths of upwards of 17,000 people.
“I firmly denounce the act of war against Israeli citizens and Americans in Israel and support Israel’s right to defend itself from these barbaric attacks,” Abbot said. “Working with local partners across Texas, we are actively increasing security at Jewish and Israel-related locations such as synagogues and schools. In response to these cowardly attacks, we stand united with our Jewish neighbors, and we repudiate terrorism and antisemitism.”
Hanukkah is observed this year from the evening of December 7 to the nightfall of December 15.
