The crowd of about 70 people was both jubilant and defiant – gathering on the downtown mall to mark the holiday by lighting a nine-foot-tall candlestick known as a menorah.
Rabbi Reuvi Meyer with the Chabad House at UVA said the event was a sign of resilience, and attacks on Jews are nothing new.
“The Jewish of people have been attacked for thousands and thousands of years," he explained. "The only thing they’re doing by attacking us is adding more and more Jewish pride, so their plan is backfiring by everyone being here.”
Police and private security stood quietly on the sidelines, but the mood was festive as traditional holiday foods were served and children dashed around, oblivious to world events. The community will light a second candle on the menorah tonight at the Stonefield Shopping Center in Charlottesville.
