Reported cancellation of Virginia menorah lighting draws rebuke from governor
WILLIAMSBURG, VA. — Virginia's political leaders, including Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, on Monday condemned the reported cancellation of a menorah lighting at a community event in Williamsburg over apparent concerns related to the war between Israel and Hamas.
The criticism from Youngkin and members of the General Assembly from both parties came after the Virginia Gazette reported last weekend that the ceremony, scheduled for a monthly arts and music festival on Dec. 10, had been canceled.
Shirley Vermillion, the festival's founder, told the newspaper that the menorah lighting “seemed very inappropriate” in light of the conflict.
“The concern is that people feel like we're siding with one group over another … and not a direction we ever decide to take,” Vermillion told the newspaper for Sunday's story.
Youngkin – who has been outspoken in his support of Israel since Hamas' bloody rampage on October 7 – said on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Singling out the Jewish community by canceling this Hanukkah celebration is absurd and anti-Semitic . Event organizers should immediately reconsider their actions and move forward with the menorah lighting.”
Other leaders echoed these concerns, including former Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, a Democrat, who called on the group to change course.
“Canceling the menorah lighting ceremony and holding Jewish people responsible for the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is shocking and outrageous. This kind of hate has no place in Virginia,” she wrote on X.
On Monday, the Virginia Gazette reported that a Williamsburg rabbi had found a new location for the ceremony.
The newspaper and other media also reported Monday that event organizers said in a statement that the event was never canceled because it was never planned in the first place.
“It was proposed, but was inconsistent with the purpose of this non-religious community arts and music festival, and the proposal was rejected. In 14 years, this street festival has never had a religious program as one of its events. This is not a discriminatory act, but one based on the organization's objectives and the sincere desire to make this monthly event a place where all people can come together to enjoy MUSIC and ART,” the statement said, according to TV channel WTKR.
Emailed questions from the Associated Press to the organization were not immediately answered.
Rabbi Mendy Heber of Chabad Williamsburg told the newspaper that he wanted to have the menorah lit at the festival in an effort to “bring people together with Jewish pride and unity.”
It will now take place on William & Mary's campus on Thursday, the first night of Hanukkah, according to the newspaper.
“We're going to make this Hanukkah bigger and brighter than ever,” he said. “That's how we respond to darkness.”