Rabbi Rachel Short and the congregation of Ahava ‘Aina has provided an 8-foot Hanukkah menorah for the 2022 “Magic of the Season” holiday open house at the Hawaii County Building in Hilo.
On Monday evening, attendees celebrated the second night of Hanukkah as Short and Mayor Mitch Roth lit the first two candles of the menorah in front of the display.
This is the first year the Jewish faith and community has been represented in the County of Hawaii building during the holiday season.
“I don’t have words to describe how I feel about Hanukkah finally being a part of the celebration at the County Building,” said Short in a press release. “We are beyond thankful to Mayor Mitch Roth and the County of Hawaii for providing space for the menorah, a symbol of light, miracles, hope, faith and freedom for all.
“With antisemitism on the rise, having the first menorah ever in the County building means more than I can even begin to express,” Short continued. “This is history.”
The menorah has eight candleholders of the same height, with a ninth set higher than the rest.
Olive oil was traditionally used to light the Hanukkah menorah, later replaced by candles. The candles are lit by the highest candle, the Shamash, after sundown for eight nights.
“Having the first menorah in the County of Hawaii building is a proud accomplishment for our administration,” Roth said in a statement. “The menorah is a symbol of the miracle of light, which is of great significance as we come out of these hard times.”
The menorah is part of a larger display that includes various Christmas trees, cartoon characters and holiday decorations.
“It’s emotionally overwhelming, for myself and the congregation, to see a menorah in the County building surrounded by Christmas trees,” Short said. “I feel it’s a testament to how grateful I am to live in a place where we don’t have to worry about antisemitism.”
Ahava ‘Aina is nonprofit led by Short that is on a mission to build the first Jewish cultural community center and synagogue in East Hawaii.