SAN ANTONIO – For the first time, Temple Beth El in San Antonio is expanding its charitable Hanukkah party this year. Beth El Senior Rabbi Mara Nathan said inclusion is more important now than ever before.
Deadly attacks have stretched from Paris, Beirut and Israel to Colorado and California, creating religious controversy and fear.
Coming on the heels of the recent string of violence is the Jewish holiday that represents light -- Hanukkah.
"One of the most important aspects of the holiday is to proclaim the miracle of Hanukkah, which was historically back in temple times in Jerusalem. This fight of the Maccabees to reclaim their temple and their Jewish freedom. Especially at times like this, it's an emblem of religious freedom and standing up for your beliefs, and not just for Judaism but for all religions," Nathan said.
Nathan sees that communities need to come together, and that's a reason why she opened up her temple's annual Hanukkah charity celebration to the public this year.
"Anytime people can break bread together, share in festivities and each other's cultures, we're better off in terms of creating a community that really is comfortable with each other and knows each other well," she said.
Acceptance is a plea from much of the San Antonio Jewish community after anti-Semitic vandalism was found at two synagogues in town. Police are still searching for the people responsible.
Nathan does not want to fight hate with hate.
"There's so much mistrust and misunderstanding amongst different cultures and different religions, and even different parts of different religions, and the best way to have cooperation is to spend time with people," she said.
She emphasized the importance of seeing people as people instead of not people labeled as their religion or even a stereotype of that religion. She hopes the holiday season will bring a new interfaith understanding and cooperation to the city of San Antonio and beyond.
Temple Beth El's Hanukkah party is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $72 for the charitable event.