There are fewer than 6,000 Jews living in the state of Utah. During the Hanukkah holiday there is a 6 foot Chanukiah on display in Salt Lake City, which is where most Utah Jews live.
The chanukiah is located in front of the Chabad Lubovitch of Utah, a place which executive director Rabbi Benny Zippel explained to a local media outlet, is “designated to educate Jews, especially the unaffiliated, to develop a further education and appreciation for Judaism.”
But the huge chanukiah was vandalized sometime overnight on Saturday, Nov. 30. Three arms which hold the lightbulb “flames,” including the wiring, were knocked off.
As is the Chabad way, Rabbi Zippel explained that their response to the vandalism, “is to face adversity and bigotry with increased joy and celebration, looking more to the positive than the negative.”
However, if the vandals are found, the Chabad leadership will press charges. Here is KSL’s newscast about the vandalism.
About the Author: Lori Lowenthal Marcus is the US correspondent for The Jewish Press. She is a recovered lawyer who previously practiced First Amendment law and taught in Philadelphia-area graduate and law schools.
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