Statement from our board of directors on violence against Jews this Hanukkah:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The Maccabee Bar Association of Central Florida Condemns Rising Antisemitism and Calls for Action and Solidarity.
Orlando, Florida – The Maccabee Bar Association of Central Florida strongly condemns the recent murder of Jewish community members in Australia, targeted for the simple fact of being Jewish. This was antisemitism, plain and simple. We extend our deepest condolences to the families and communities grieving this senseless loss and stand in full solidarity with Jews around the world confronting a dramatic rise in anti-Jewish hate.
This tragedy unfolds at a moment when many of us are reflecting on the countless public and community menorah lightings we have attended, supported, or led over the years. What should be a time of joyful celebration and public affirmation of Jewish identity has increasingly become a time of heightened concern, as Jewish individuals and institutions must ask hard questions about safety and security—questions that feel new to many of us, but would be tragically familiar to generations of our ancestors.
We are committed to asking these difficult questions and to being clear-eyed and proactive about security. We must protect ourselves and our fellow Jews—whether within synagogue walls, at community gatherings, in our workplaces, or simply walking down the street wearing a kippah or Star of David. Ensuring the safety of our community is not optional; it is a primary obligation.
At the same time, we draw strength and resolve from the spirit of the defiant Maccabees that is central to the Hanukkah story. Our community will not be driven into hiding. We are proud to live openly as Jews, to practice our faith, and to contribute to the civic life of Central Florida and beyond. We refuse to allow antisemitism to force us into the shadows.
Jewish tradition commands us to place the Hanukkah menorah in a window for all to see, a symbol of public faith and hope.
This year, as menorahs are lit in homes and public spaces, many Jews will also be lighting memorial candles. We grieve the lives taken by antisemitic violence, and we honor their memory by demanding that such hatred find no refuge here. We call upon our colleagues in the legal community, elected officials, faith leaders, educators, and neighbors of all backgrounds to stand with us.
The Maccabee Bar Association of Central Florida reaffirms its commitment to combating antisemitism in all its forms—through advocacy, education, and the rule of law—and to building a community where Jews, and all people, can live openly and safely.
May the memories of those murdered be for a blessing.
Maccabee Bar Association of Central Florida.