"Chanukah is just one story about the Jewish fight for religious freedom, when circa 165 B.C.E., the Maccabees revolted against Antiochus IV, ruler of the Syrian branch of the Alexandrian empire, to thwart his attempt to impose Greek culture on the Israelites and ban Jewish ritual practices.
Flash forward about 2000 years to 1989 and the fight for religious freedom for the Jews played out again, this time on the steps of Pittsburgh’s City-County Building, where Chabad was battling for its right to erect an 18-foot menorah alongside a 45-foot Christmas tree.
The conflict, which revolved around the interpretation of the Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution, ended up before the United States Supreme Court in The County of Allegheny v. The American Civil Liberties Union. The case was ultimately decided in a 100-page opinion, by a 6-to-3 vote, allowing the menorah to remain on its public perch but accompanied by a slew of supporting and dissenting opinions drafted by the justices on just about every aspect of the case."
https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com/chabad-replayed-decades-old-debate-over-menorah-on-city-county-building-steps/
Here I am after the attack in Pittsburgh leading Chanukah blessings in a rural town in PA. Most of the audience is not Jewish and out to be supportive. Some students felt that they wanted Judaism to be more visible, and the giant Chanukiah made of pipes from a big box store was one way to address those feelings.
The Gemara asks: What is Hanukkah, and why are lights kindled on Hanukkah? The Gemara answers: The Sages taught in Megillat Ta’anit: On the twenty-fifth of Kislev, the days of Hanukkah are eight. One may not eulogize on them and one may not fast on them. What is the reason? When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary they defiled all the oils that were in the Sanctuary by touching them. And when the Hasmonean monarchy overcame them and emerged victorious over them, they searched and found only one cruse of oil that was placed with the seal of the High Priest, undisturbed by the Greeks. And there was sufficient oil there to light the candelabrum for only one day. A miracle occurred and they lit the candelabrum from it eight days. The next year the Sages instituted those days and made them holidays with recitation of hallel and special thanksgiving in prayer and blessings.
(כ) אם אמנם יסורו כל עבדי המלך גוי גוי מאלוהיו וישמעון לקולו להמיר את חוקות אבותיהם.
(כא) לא כן אנכי ומשפחתי, כי לא נסור ימין ושמאל מאחרי חוקות אבותינו.
(כב) חלילה לנו לשוב ממצוות ה' אלוהינו ולהפר בריתו אתנו.
(כג) לכן את דתי המלך לא נעשה, ואת חוקותינו לא נמיר בחוקות המלך.
(כד) ויהי ככלותו לדבר, ויגש איש מבני ישראל לעיני כל הניצבים אל הבמה אשר במודעית לזבוח זבח כאשר ציוה המלך.
(כה) וירא מתתיהו, ויחם לבבו ותבער קנאתו על תורת אלוהיו.
(כו) וירוץ בחמתו אל האיש, וימיתהו אצל הבמה, וגם את הפקיד המית, ויתוץ את הבמה.
(20) Though all the nations that are under the king’s dominion obey him, and fall away every one from the religion of their fathers, and give consent to his commandments:
(21) Yet will I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers.
(22) God forbid that we should forsake the law and the ordinances.
(23) We will not hearken to the king’s words, to go from our religion, either on the right hand, or the left.
(24) Now when he had left speaking these words, there came one of the Jews in the sight of all to sacrifice on the altar which was at Modin, according to the king’s commandment.
(25) Which thing when Mattathias saw, he was inflamed with zeal, and his reins trembled, neither could he forbear to shew his anger according to judgment:
(26) wherefore he ran, and slew him upon the altar. Also the king’s commissioner, who compelled men to sacrifice, he killed at that time, and the altar he pulled down.
A time to celebrate being Jewish while relating to our neighbors:
As an American holiday which celebrates our values:
A holiday to grow relationship with the Jewish people:
A time to celebrate Jewish identity:
A time to take pride in Jewish identity and tradition:
A universal message to the world: