Thursday was not just Thanksgiving--it was the first day of
Hanukkah.
As many in the community celebrated the dual holiday, one
local rabbi also reflected on the vandalism committed against him one year ago.
During Hanukkah in 2012, Rabbi Moshe Liberow was dealing
with the aftermath of an awful hate crime.
"There was a very cowardly act of hate where we
unfortunately had a swastika sprayed on the menorah over here."
The menorah was in Liberow's front yard, located in a
neighborhood at the corner of Rockrimmon and Allegheny in Colorado Springs.
Liberow belongs to a synagogue just down the road from his house called the
Chabad Jewish Center. Each year they put the menorah up in a different spot in
Colorado Springs to spread the hopeful message. Last year was the first time it
was ever vandalized.
It's something he hopes will never happen again--and didn't
stop him from putting the menorah up again this Hanukkah.
"The message of right over might, the message of
positivity overcoming darkness," Liberow said.
And there's a lot for the Liberows to feel good about on the
first day of Hanukkah this year: support from the community, a kitchen full of
food--and being able to celebrate an once in a lifetime confluence of two major
holidays.
Thanksgiving and Hanukkah coming together is as rare an
occurrence as you can get.
How rare?
It likely won't happen again for another 79,000 years.
On Saturday, there will be a lighting of the menorah at 410
Allegheny. It starts at 7 p.m., and will be open to the public.
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