Jewish group based in Chicago vows to shine the light of justice and peace during Chanuka Festival of Lights as expression of solidarity with Palestinians in Middle East.
Chanuka Vigil
Sundown, 4:20 PM
Thursday, December 21
Pioneer Plaza (Tribune Plaza)
435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago
Chicago On Thursday evening, the 21st and the 28th of December, at sundown, 4:20 pm., members of the Jewish group Not In My Name will gather at Pioneer Plaza (Tribune Plaza at 435 N. Michigan Ave.) to light the candles for the first and last nights of Chanukah at a Peace Chanukah commemorative vigil for justice in the Middle East.
Not In My Name is a group of American Jews based in Chicago who support peace and justice in the Middle East, oppose Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, oppose the Israel Defense Forces excessive use of force in Occupied Palestine, and argue that the Israeli government and IDF do not act in the name of concerned and justice-minded Jews. They embrace the belief that as Jews it is vitally important to speak out against injustice and refuse to stand unconditionally behind the Israeli government as it violates the human rights of the Palestinian people, Israeli citizens and residents of the West Bank and Gaza.
Because Chanukah commemorates the Maccabees' struggle for religious and political self-determination, Not In My Name has chosen to mark the parallels between the Chanukah story and the Palestinian struggle for self-determination by commemorating the current effort to carve out a just peace in the Middle East, just as the Maccabees fought for in 164 BC.
The Chanukah ceremony will begin with the traditional blessings over the candles, as participants light a human menorah. Then, following the American Jewish tradition of exchanging gifts, participants will open the gift of peace, which will contain a list of the names and ages of all those who have been killed since September 29, the first day of Al-Aqsa Intifada, the beginning of the current uprising. They will take a moment to commemorate the tragic loss of life with the Mourner's Kaddish, the Jewish prayer for the dead.
The Not In My Name Group
Media contacts:
Steven Feuerstein: 773-262-8128
Avital Peres: 773-561-1844
www.notinmyname.org