The primary Jewish partner of a president or a vp, Emhoff has publicly highlighted numerous tenets of his religion whereas his spouse is in workplace.
“On this primary night time of Hanukkah, Jews all all over the world are going to mild their menorahs within the home windows of their properties — similar to the vp and I are going to do later tonight at our residence right here in DC,” Emhoff mentioned throughout the ceremony. “As we mild this menorah on this garden of the free, allow us to rededicate ourselves to doing the whole lot we are able to to shine a lightweight on hate, so we are able to put an finish to hate.”
“Allow us to bear in mind at all times that Jewish historical past is American historical past; our values, American values,” he continued.
The custom of the lighting dates again to 1979, when President Jimmy Carter was in workplace. But it surely was President Ronald Reagan who formally designated the candelabrum the Nationwide Menorah.
Then-Vice President Joe Biden, a deeply spiritual man himself, spoke on the ceremony in 2014.
“The reality is that Jewish heritage, Jewish tradition, Jewish values are a vital, such a vital a part of who we’re,” Biden mentioned on the time, donning a black yarmulke. “It is truthful to say that Jewish heritage is American heritage. That is who we’re as a folks.”
The lighting serves as catalyst — jump-starting the “Pageant of Lights” throughout the nation and globe, in line with the Nationwide Menorah web site.
The vacation ceremony attracts in tens of tens of millions of viewers, they are saying, cementing it as an emblem for the beginning of the Hanukkah celebrations.
“On this approach, we reaffirm the celebration of our freedom, impressed by the historic and current victory of proper over may, mild over darkness, and understanding and justice over intolerance and bigotry,” the Nationwide Menorah’s web site says.
“Because the vp mentioned just some weeks in the past, we should combat anti-Semitism and hate of each type, and name it out once we see it,” Emhoff mentioned in his remarks Sunday. “We all know that this hate is horrible however under no circumstances new, a undeniable fact that the vp and I have been reminded of at Yad Vashem in Israel a couple of years in the past, and just some weeks in the past on the Shoah Memorial in France.”
“However we additionally know that the story of Hanukkah is the historical past of a individuals who don’t merely stick with it within the face of tragedy, however the ones who’re dedicated to their religion, pleased with their custom and grateful for the numerous miracles and blessings in all our lives.”
This story has been up to date with further developments Sunday.
CNN’s Paul LeBlanc contributed to this report.
