THE HUNTER's Jewish community has celebrated the start of Hanukkah by lighting a menorah and sharing traditional food in Civic Park.
Rabbi Yossi Rodal and his wife Malki lead Newcastle Hebrew Congregation - the synagogue on The Hill - and Chabad of the Hunter, which is the Jewish community that stretches from the Central Coast to the Hunter Valley.
"Hanukkah is not just a Jewish holiday," Rabbi Rodal said.
"It's called the festival of lights and it expresses the idea of freedom over tyranny, of freedom of religion, freedom of traditions, of values. It also celebrates the idea that one little light can push away a lot of darkness.
"I think the world more than ever today can use this message. It's a universal message.
"It celebrates the time when a little band of Jewish soldiers pushed away a massive army of Syrian Greeks, the world power at that time, and they were able to win over them.
"It's all about standing up for your rights and who you are - even though it may not be the most popular thing in that day and age - being true to yourself is always going to bring in the best result."
Rabbi Rodal said he knew of an estimated 250 Jewish families across the Hunter and Central Coast but said he believed there could be around 1000. He said the community was growing.
"I think [it's] as the congregation here grows and the name gets out there more - there are people who are living here but have never known there is a Jewish community, or who have for whatever reason decided not to connect with their heritage, but then they see a Rabbi or they see a kid in their son or daughter's school who goes to the Hebrew school and they're like 'Hey they seem like they're having a good time, let's get in on it'.
"So it's discovering the people already here - and since COVID there are a number of families who have moved up."
Rabbi Rodal said this was the third year he had helped host a public event in Newcastle to mark the start of Hanukkah, an eight day festival that will see families light menorahs in their homes each night.
Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon lit a menorah and there was entertainment including a fire performer; a gelt drop with chocolate coins and small menorahs and dreidels thrown from a fire truck; traditional foods fried in oil including latkes and jam donuts called sufganiot; and a falafel dinner.
"This is a multicultural event," he said.
"The idea is that people of all faiths can see it's a universal message, we want everyone to experience it and see the traditions.
"It's one of the more awesome festivals we have."
He said public celebrations of Hanukkah were important.
A menorah has been erected near Kmart at Westfield Kotara and people have been taking photos with it.
"In the last few years there's been an uptick internationally of a lot of antisemitic attacks," he said.
"Even in Australia there's been a few, especially with the discussion around Nazi symbols being banned there was a lot rhetoric online, and in America you have the whole story with Kanye, that has brought up a lot of different feelings.
"I was just in Brooklyn and there was a whole group of people parading on the streets saying 'We're the real Hebrews and we're glad the Holocaust happened', things like that, it's horrible.
"We reckon that the best way to combat antisemitism is not to cower and say 'We'll just do whatever you say' it's to be proud of who we are and make public statements that this is who we are and we're not going to be afraid."
Rabbi Rodal said people never knew how far one light could shine.
"If everybody would just smile at the next person, you never know how far reaching that smile can go," he said.
"Perhaps a person walking down the road opposite you is having a bad day, you smile and say 'How are you? Have a good day' - you have no idea how far reaching that could be. If everyone could do that the world would be a much better place."
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