Calling for visible Jewish pride
Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann said it's time to "draw that line in the sand" after two years of escalating antisemitism.
A Rabbi is calling on Melbourne’s Jewish community to defy their fears and celebrate Chanukah publicly at Federation Square this year.
The Ark Centre’s Rabbi Gabi Kaltmann said it’s time to “draw that line in the sand” after two years of escalating antisemitism. He is organising the sixth annual Pillars of Light festival in the city’s CBD, and said Jewish people must resist the urge to hide their identity despite legitimate security concerns.
“Sadly, people do feel scared to be visibly Jewish, but that is giving space to those horrible people that want us to feel like that,” Rabbi Kaltmann said.
“We must make every effort to show up in public visibly Jewish, proud of who we are, and that’s how we push back against those people that want us to cower and to hide and to go away.”
The eight-day festival, which will feature over 25 Jewish artists including Deborah Conway, has attracted unprecedented support from multicultural and faith leaders seeking to demonstrate solidarity with the Jewish community.
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