Gov. Josh Shapiro attends menorah lighting at capitol

On the day after a terror attack against Australia’s Jewish community that killed 15 people, Pennsylvania leaders and Jewish neighbors mourned those lost during the annual Menorah lighting ceremony but also celebrated and embraced their faith as a means of defying antisemitism and hate.The ceremony on Monday saw the large menorah lit inside the capitol’s East Wing Rotunda to mark the progress of Hanukkah, with speakers talking about the importance of their faith and connection, despite the terror attack in Australia and other acts of antisemitism in the past year.Gov. Josh Shapiro Among those who spoke was Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pennsylvania, who himself was the victim of violence earlier this year during an attempt on his life at the Governor’s Residence.Shapiro emphasized how important it was that people celebrate their faith and what brings them together, rather than the darkness that divides and harms.”Think about where we are today, here in the state capitol in the place that Penn founded a called Pennsylvania about to light a hanukiah openly and freely and proudly for all to see that’s extraordinary progress that we have made as a country and I believe PA remains a light unto the nations, an example onto the nations as Penn had hoped,” he said.President and CEO of the Jewish FederationZachary Benjamin, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg, said overcoming darkness and hate is what Hanukkah is about, and Jews can embrace that by proudly celebrating their faith and community.”We are constantly kind of as a community, as a people liberating ourselves from attempts to quell and diminish and quiet us and our ability to express ourselves and who we are,” she said.

HARRISBURG, Pa. —

On the day after a terror attack against Australia’s Jewish community that killed 15 people, Pennsylvania leaders and Jewish neighbors mourned those lost during the annual Menorah lighting ceremony but also celebrated and embraced their faith as a means of defying antisemitism and hate.

The ceremony on Monday saw the large menorah lit inside the capitol’s East Wing Rotunda to mark the progress of Hanukkah, with speakers talking about the importance of their faith and connection, despite the terror attack in Australia and other acts of antisemitism in the past year.

Gov. Josh Shapiro

Among those who spoke was Gov. Josh Shapiro, D-Pennsylvania, who himself was the victim of violence earlier this year during an attempt on his life at the Governor’s Residence.

Shapiro emphasized how important it was that people celebrate their faith and what brings them together, rather than the darkness that divides and harms.

“Think about where we are today, here in the state capitol in the place that Penn founded a called Pennsylvania about to light a hanukiah openly and freely and proudly for all to see that’s extraordinary progress that we have made as a country and I believe PA remains a light unto the nations, an example onto the nations as Penn had hoped,” he said.

President and CEO of the Jewish Federation

Zachary Benjamin, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg, said overcoming darkness and hate is what Hanukkah is about, and Jews can embrace that by proudly celebrating their faith and community.

“We are constantly kind of as a community, as a people liberating ourselves from attempts to quell and diminish and quiet us and our ability to express ourselves and who we are,” she said.