LOS ANGELES — The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles held its annual “Shine a Light” event at Grand Park in downtown LA, but this year, it took on a deeper meaning focusing on rooting out hatred and antisemitism.

“Jews are victims of 60% of hate crimes here in LA,” said Jewish Federation President and CEO Rabbi Noah Farkas. 

“Here in LA, there’s a 300% rise in antisemitic incidences, and we’re going to use this very public holiday of Chanukah to shine a light on antisemitism,” Farkas said.

Local and state leaders joined forces with interfaith leaders to bring attention to the recent rise in hate crimes and antisemitic attacks. Newly elected Mayor Karen Bass pledged to fight it throughout the city.

“We think in Los Angeles, liberal Los Angeles, this is unthinkable. Obviously, it is not,” she said.

Hannah Jacqueline Kaye knows firsthand the horrors of hatred. She’s a survivor of the 2019 synagogue shooting in Poway, near San Diego where a gunman killed one woman and injured three others during a Passover service. That one woman was Hannah’s mother, Lori Kaye.

“To witness my mother’s murder for the sole reason of her being a Jew, I mean, it completely obliterates your life, but we find strength. There is no pity. There is strength. There is resilience,” Kaye said.

This was the last picture of the two together a day before the shooting. Kaye said she’s grateful for the efforts nationwide since then, but feels like there is still much more to do. She says everyone needs to realize words have incredible influence and power, especially on young people.

“I think of my mother’s murderer who was 19-years-old and who was radicalized solely through the internet. I think of what he would be thinking if he was not in prison and he had access to some of the things that are going around that celebrities are saying,” she said.

Randi Grossman is Hannah’s aunt and said her sister, Lori, was a proud Jew but loved so many other traditions and cultures as well.

“She had a peace poll in her front yard, so she was all about love. She was all about light and for her life to be ended by hate is something I struggle with,” Grossman said.

Civic and religious leaders stressed the need to strengthen racial, ethnic, and spiritual connections in the community and a commitment to stand together in solidarity. Grossman said regardless of faith, an attack on one is an attack on all.

“If one group has people hating them, they hate other groups. Ot can strike anywhere and everybody needs to be together in the fight,” she said.

But despite all that darkness.

“In this moment, I feel as if it’s made me a prouder Jew. I feel more connected to what it means to be a Jew,” Kaye said.

Chanukah, after all, is a festival of lights, and this year, for many Jews, an added beacon of hope to wipe out hate.

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