A woman taken hostage in the 2023 Hamas attack in Israel will speak in Clarks Summit on Dec. 16 at a Jewish Discovery Center Hanukkah event.
Rabbi Benny Rapoport believes Judith Ranaan is the first hostage to speak in Northeast Pennsylvania.
“This ties right into the Hanukkah story,” Rapoport said. “The whole idea is how she turned darkness into light.”
Ranaan is an artist and believes she survived because she asked her captors for paper, pencils and crayons.
The Israeli-American woman and her daughter were held for about two weeks.
Hearing a firsthand account is critical, Rapoport said.
The event is at 6 p.m. at the Jewish Discovery Center, 216 Miller Road, Clarks Summit. Through Monday, tickets are $30. Afterward, the price is $36. Reservations can be made at jewishnepa.com or by calling 570-587-3300. There will be a wine bar and appetizer stations.