Redwood City set to celebrate Hanukkah

“It’s a celebration of good over evil, light dispelling darkness, and religious freedom,” Ella Potash, co-director of Chabad MidPen, said. “Things may seem very bleak and dark outside right now, but we can glow in the dark.”

Potash said the celebration is a way for children to see Hanukkah celebrated in public, in a major gathering space such as Courthouse Square, that often hosts large events. With the holiday overlapping with Christmas this year, having a dedicated time to celebrate is particularly special, she said.

“It’s very exciting for everybody to feel welcome and for everybody to feel they have a part in the community here,” Potash said.

Celebrating proudly is necessary, Potash said, referencing public perception related to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

“It is no secret that there is definitely a rise in antisemitism since Oct. 7,” Potash said. “You can try to hurt us, you can try to squash our spirits and you can try to say no, but as Jewish people, we believe that God will always prevail light over darkness.”

People of all backgrounds are invited to join in the lighting of the menorah, a long-standing tradition of the holiday. This year marks 50 years since the first public lighting of a menorah in Philadelphia.

“It’s a universal message of religious freedom and a universal message of light over darkness, and that is applicable to anybody, no matter what faith you practice,” Potash said.

The event will take place in Courthouse Square beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 29, the fifth night of Hanukkah, and is entirely free to the public.

“It’s special to be able to be proud and be Jewish and gather together and have people from other backgrounds come as well and say we support you,” Potash said. “That we’re not alone and that there are good people in this world who also want to see light flourish.”