A Jewish group group in Virginia has slammed the organizer of an area artwork and music pageant over its determination to not go forward with a menorah lighting ceremony.
LoveLight Placemaking, a nonprofit which hosts the 2nd Sundays Artwork and Music Pageant in Williamsburg, declined a proposal by a group rabbi to carry the lighting ceremony at its upcoming Dec. 10 occasion.
It claimed in an announcement the transfer was “primarily based on the aims of the group and a honest need to make this month-to-month occasion a spot the place all folks can come collectively to take pleasure in MUSIC and ART.”
Nonetheless, in their very own assertion, United Jewish Neighborhood of the Virginia Peninsula (UJC) mentioned it was “shocked and dismayed” on the determination, and accused LoveLight of “not need[ing] to look to decide on sides within the Israel-Hamas battle.”
“We must be very clear: it’s antisemitic to carry Jews collectively accountable for Israel’s insurance policies and actions, and to require a political litmus take a look at for Jews’ participation in group occasions that don’t have anything to do with Israel.”
LoveLight flatly rejected the group’s characterization of their motives, saying it’s “by no means held a non secular program” within the 14 years the pageant has operated.
“It feels very incorrect to label anybody related to this as an antisemite when the rejection of this spiritual programming was fully according to our determination to maintain our gathering centered on artwork, relatively than spiritual ceremonies.”
LoveLight additionally cited logistical issues in permitting the menorah lighting to happen, claiming Rabbi Mendy Heber had additionally requested to incorporate a firetruck geld drop, the place chocolate cash are dropped from a top, in an space of the pageant that “needs to be saved open always for coming into & exiting visitors.”
UJC claimed that LoveLight “appallingly” provided to reinstate the lighting ceremony underneath the situation it was finished “underneath a banner calling for a ceasefire,” a cost LoveLight didn’t handle in its assertion.
A message despatched to 2nd Sundays by way of an internet kind looking for verification of UJC’s assertion was not instantly returned.
“Since October seventh, we’ve got repeatedly seen instances of Jewish folks and establishments – together with synagogues, Jewish properties and companies – being focused, generally violently, by these against Israel or its actions,” UJC wrote.
“At a time of well-documented, rising antisemitism, the singling out and focusing on of Jews is harmful and dangerous, serving to additional exclude and alienate our group.”
Within the conclusion of its assertion, the group known as for LoveLight to “interact in dialogue, educate themselves on the harmfulness of their determination, and reinstate the apolitical Menorah ceremony on the occasion.”
Williamsburg is a small city of about 15,500 residents positioned about 50 miles southeast of Richmond.