OpEd

Hanukkah Lights Shine Bright Despite the Darkness of Rising Antisemitism

Hanukkah’s most iconic and central practice—that of lighting candles in the eight-pronged menorah—is meant to be a public one. Jewish tradition asks families not only to say the prayers and light the candles within their own homes, but to display the menorah in a front-facing window for all to see.

For American Jews, the gravity of that practice has grown in the last few years. Showcasing pride in Jewish identity has become more fraught as antisemitism has spiked. Just in 2022, we’ve seen rapper Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) say “I like Hitler” live on television and share a meal with white supremacist Nick Fuentes. Closer to home, the words “Jews Not Welcome” appeared on an entrance sign at Bethesda’s Walt Whitman High School last week, just one day before Hanukkah started.

Those aren’t isolated incidents. The defaced sign at Walt Whitman marks Montgomery County’s fourth case of antisemitic vandalism in just the last five weeks. The Anti-Defamation League’s 2021 audit found the highest number of antisemitic incidents recorded since the group began its annual reporting in 1979. Across the country, about one in four Jews have experienced some form of antisemitic harassment, according to a study conducted by the American Jewish Committee.

Which is why, for many Americans, leaving a bright menorah in the window might feel less comfortable this year than in Hanukkahs past. But support and solidarity have also shone through this year. Political leaders at every level—from President Joe Biden to the Montgomery County Council— have spoken out against antisemitism in recent days as they join Jewish communities in celebrating the holiday.

Many such leaders joined an annual event earlier this month hosted by the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington. Governor-elect Wes Moore pointed out that the gathering included people of all faiths, all of whom needed to share the same fight.

“Antisemitism and racism are the same thing,” Moore pointed out.

It’s not a new observation—Jewish and Black leaders and organizers formed strong partnerships based around that same principle during the Civil Rights Movement. Combatting all forms of bigotry will require that same solidarity between American communities.

For me, the holiday season feels unifying. Americans of all faiths and races take this time of year to celebrate with family, eat good food and try to find rest in a busy world. After Hanukkah ends, I hope we can find that same sense of togetherness in a renewed fight against prejudice and oppression. Putting a menorah in the window may feel different for me this year, but I want my candles to bring light not only to my home, but to my neighbors’ as well. WI

Check On Your ‘Happy’ Friends This Holiday Season, Always

The news of celebrated dancer and DJ Stephen “tWitch” Boss’ apparent suicide at a hotel in Encino, California on Dec. 13 sent shockwaves through the socialmedia-verse.

Many celebrities and fans alike took to social media to pay tribute to Boss, who captured the hearts of millions on “So You Think You Can Dance,” in “Magic Mike XXL”, and as the longtime DJ and eventual stand-in host on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”

Several posts noted the joy that Boss constantly shared with others.

“Thanks for always laughing and smiling with me,” said Fox sports analyst and former NFL linebacker Emmanual Acho.

“I’ve always known you as joy, laughter, good times and a big smile,” singer Ciara wrote.

Former NBA basketball player Dwayne Wade, said anyone who interacted with Boss, 40, would be hurt by the news of his passing.

“Grateful to have had this moment in your light,” Wade tweeted, along with a video of him dancing with Boss during the “Ellen” final season.

Having known him to be such a positive person, many were further surprised by how Boss died.

“[tWitch] was such a light and a beautiful soul. Shocked and deeply saddened,” Jenifer Lopez wrote on Instagram.

Actor and comedian Marlon Wayans, who had recently seen the performer, said the two chatted about plans for the future.

“Always such a good, positive soul. Spoke of reinvention of ourselves in this journey. Rest well my friend,” Wayans said, before referencing an old adage about the realities of perception.

“You never know what people are going through,” Wayans said. “Sorry if we all wasn’t listening.”

It is, indeed true, that one can never assume what someone is experiencing internally. The same people we see smiling, celebrating and posting dance videos with their wives, as Boss did just days before his passing, might actually be struggling just to find the energy to wake up, do simple tasks and live.

“Check on your loved ones, guys,” singer and actress LeToya Luckett wrote in her tribute to tWitch, who she said she never knew personally.

TO THE EDITOR

Welcome Home, Brittney

I’m so happy and thankful Brittney Griner is home. I know she is grateful to be back in time for Christmas. May everyone count their blessings this holiday season.

Marilyn Adams Washington, D.C.

Honor the Mayor for Life

I support community leaders advocating to change the name of Good Hope Road to Marion Barry Avenue. I know this has been an ongoing effort formally since 2019 and I’m hoping Trayon White’s and others efforts will pay off. In my opinion, no other D.C. politician is as deserving as Barry.

Amanda Hawkins Washington, D.C.

While checking in on friends and family is important always, as trials and tribulations are indiscriminate of the time of the year, the holiday season can be particularly trying for many.

In 2014, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reported that 64% of people with mental illness say the holiday season makes their conditions worse.

A 2021 Sesame survey showed that 3 in 5 Americans feel their mental health is negatively affected during the holiday, with 60% reporting an increase in anxiety, 52% feeling an increase in depression, and nearly 70% feeling more financial stress.

The coronavirus pandemic, which persists among this rampant flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) season, also contributed to mental health challenges. According to the survey, 64% of Americans also feel increased COVID-19 related stress.

The Sesame survey found that 22% of Americans alleviate their stress by chatting with someone– 12% talk to mental health professionals, while 10% speak with trusted friends and family.

Although not everyone is a mental health professional, we can all be a friend to someone.

A simple phone call or plan to meet up can be just what a friend needs this holiday season– and beyond.

And it’s not just the friends who you know are lonely or have struggled with mental health. Boss appeared joyful and was married to dancer Allison Holker. The couple had three children.

In fact, in this season of cheer, it is those who intentionally share their light who we must check in on the most. Are they spreading themselves too thin? Remind our ‘happy friends’ to save comfort and joy for themselves. WI

Guest Columnist

A Christmas Eve Lesson

Fifty-five years ago, on Dec. 24, 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the message at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta on what would be his last Christmas Eve, titled "A Christmas Sermon on Peace." Once again, I share some of that powerful lesson. In a season when many people sing carols praying for peace on earth, Dr. King shared a sharp warning for our nation and world: "Now let me suggest first that if we are to have peace on earth, our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional. Our loyalties must transcend our race, our tribe, our class, and our nation; and this means we must develop a world perspective. No individual can live alone; no nation can live alone, and as long as we try, the more we are going to have war in this world. … We must either learn to live together as brothers or we are all going to perish together as fools."

His words remain prescient. Are

Marian Wright Edelman

we any closer to heeding them? At the end of the sermon, Dr. King spoke about the day four years earlier when he had told the nation at the March on Washington that he had a dream for America's future. He said in the turbulent years that had followed it already felt like he was watching that dream turning into a nightmare. But Dr. King said he was not willing to give up: "Yes, I am personally the victim of deferred dreams, of blasted hopes, but in spite of that, I close today by saying that I still have a dream. … I have a dream that one day men will rise up and come to see that they are made to live together as brothers. I still have a dream this morning that one day every Negro in this country, every colored person in the world, will be judged on the basis of the content of his character rather than the color of his skin, and every man will respect the dignity and worth of human personality. I still have a dream that one day the idle industries of Appalachia will be revitalized, and the empty stomachs of Mississippi will be filled, and brotherhood will be more than a few words at the end of a prayer, but rather the first order of business on every legislative agenda."

He went on: "I still have a dream today that one day justice will roll down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream. I still have a dream today that in all of our state houses and city halls men will be elected to go there who will do justly and love mercy and walk humbly with their God … With this faith we will be able to speed up the day when there will

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Guest Columnist

Austin R. Cooper Jr.

White House Emphasizes Importance of U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

Jimmy Carter and Andrew Young

On January 30, 1977, President Jimmy Carter nominated Atlanta Congressman Andrew Young as the 14th and first Black U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

Shortly after his confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Ambassador Young met with the President prior to embarking on his first journey to the continent in his new position. As a Member of Congress, he had traveled to Kenya with U.S. Treasury Secretary George Shultz during the Ford Administration. He made additional trips to the African continent to attend conferences hosted by the Africa-America Institute (AAI) and with tennis legend Arthur Ashe for tennis matches in South Africa.

As he met with Carter in the Oval Office that morning, the President handed him a note that simply said, "I want you to ask African leaders what they would expect of this administration." Ambassador Young later recounted, “We didn't try to tell Africa what it must do. Instead, we asked: Africa, how can we help you? That same spirit remains the key to unlocking opportunity today.”

U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

Last week, President Joe Biden convened the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in the nation’s capital with forty-nine African presidents and their respective delegations in attendance for high-level discussions with Administration officials, Congressional representatives, and business leaders from across the United States.

Why Now?

When a White House official was asked by the Washington Informer “why now,” for such a convening in a background briefing, the response was, “It has been eight years since the first U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. President Biden came in on day one with the determination to revitalize our partnerships with African countries.”

Noting that the president had addressed the African Union virtually, “early in the Administration,” the White House official emphasized the President’s dedication to such a convening as the summit.

“And so, it has been our intent from, really, the beginning to do this – to bring together African leaders and civil society and businesses and meet their counterparts here…. Nothing is a better demonstration of our renewed engagement than three days of interaction and conversation.”

The official also shared the criteria for extending invitations to the African leaders.

“In terms of the rubric in terms of

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Guest Columnist

David W. Marshall

The Price We Pay for Political Cowards

We are just weeks away from the end of the 117th Congress, and with it comes the transfer of the gavel from Nancy Pelosi to the new speaker of the House.

We are also witnessing the end of the congressional careers of Republicans Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. Regardless of your political beliefs, if you genuinely care about the Jan. 6 insurrection and the lasting impact it will have on our nation, you must admire the political sacrifices made by the two Republican lawmakers.

Since few elected House Republicans have shown the courage to publicly confront and condemn their fellow Republicans over the Jan. 6 attack, Reps. Cheney and Kinzinger will be sorely missed. Sadly, many Republican primary voters have it backward. While voters reward political cowardice, political boldness and true patriotism are rejected. "The once great party of Lincoln, Roosevelt, and Reagan has turned its back on the ideals of liberty and self-governance. Instead, it has embraced lies and deceit." Kinzinger said in his farewell address to Congress. "Instead of members using our platform to advance the well-being of our nation and her people, we've turned this institution into an echo chamber of lies."

This type of warning to the GOP is not new to Kinzinger, who made efforts during the Trump presidency to inform his onetime GOP allies about the corrosive effects of conspiracy theories. There are consequences when a large part of the electorate forgoes wisdom, good judgment and common sense when choosing their leaders. We all suffer as a nation when voters choose to be led by elected officials who embrace dishonesty, deceit, corruption and hypocrisy. Unfortunately, communities of color will suffer more.

This political corrosion is not just limited to Congress. It runs through the courts, state legislatures, and now school boards. Therefore, who is at fault when Kinzinger's warning concerning the threats to democracy is so soundly rejected within his own party? Are the GOP elected officials and candidates who are disingenuous when preaching patriotism at fault? Are the GOP voters who are disingenuous when publicly chanting "USA!" at fault?

There was no "red wave" during the 2022 midterm elections because enough Democratic, Republican and independent voters displayed

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Guest Columnist

E. Faye Williams

It's Always Time for Justice!

Aug. 28, 1955, was many lifetimes ago, but, in the evolution of this country, it seems like the blink of an eye. Irrefutably, the racism that is pervasive now was even more pervasive, brutal and accepted as a socio/cultural norm by oppressor and victim alike then. Aug. 28, 1955 was the day that 14-year-old Emmett Till, an African American youth from Chicago visiting relatives in Money, Mississippi, was murdered.

His murder was most heinous. He was abducted at gunpoint from his uncle's home, beaten beyond recognition. He was then shot to death and unceremoniously pitched into the Tallahatchie River with a large fan tied to his body to keep him submerged. His assailants were Roy Bryant, Carolyn Bryant's husband, and his half-brother, J.W. Milam. Emmett's offense? He allegedly whistled at a white woman!

Later Bryant and Milam were acquitted by an all-white jury which, unbelievably, deliberated for only 65 minutes! After acquittal, they bragged about committing the murder. Even later, it was discovered that Carolyn Bryant lied about the circumstances that sent her husband and brother-inlaw into a murderous rampage.

We now know that an unserved warrant for kidnapping was issued in 1955 for Carolyn Bryant. Her maternal responsibilities for her children were deemed more significant than her complicity in murder. The deaths of her husband and brother-in-law left her only living participant in that conspiratorial triad.

As more incriminating facts became known, Carolyn Bryant moved around the country. There is no complete record of her residences after leaving Mississippi, but it is known that she fled to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to live with her son. From Dec. 3-5, 2022, I visited Bowling Green for a rally to put focus for the murder of Emmett Till back on Carolyn Bryant, and on the radar of the United States Justice Department and the national conscience, where it rightly belongs.

A group of us, including Nia 2X, attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz and John C. Barnett went to Kentucky to hold a rally at the address where Carolyn Bryant purportedly now lives. The morning of our rally, we awoke to a credible threat against rally participants. We gave thought to personal security, but, considering the gravity of our efforts, soldiered on.

It seemed like every local police officer was assigned to secure Carolyn Bryant's home and to protect the

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Guest Columnist

Julianne Malveaux

Stop Normalizing Anti-Blackness

Autumn Roberson-Manahan is a 17-year-old Black girl attending high school in Slaton, Texas. The senior, who transferred to Slaton High School when her parents relocated there from Ohio, hoped to be her high school valedictorian based on her stellar grades. Instead, she was subjected to regular, vile, racist harassment from white students who showered her with the n—r word, even when she respectfully asked them to "please stop."

From where I sit, the constant use of the N-word is assaultive and aggressive. Autumn complained to school administrators, who did nothing even though there was a policy that students who used such slurs would be suspended. Instead, the young lady was subjected to multiple verbal assaults and attempted to handle her challenges by asking offending white students to stop using the word. Their Caucasity was rampant. They ignored her requests, and one day she snapped, yelling and slapping the fellow student who seemed to find the use of a racial slur amusing.

Nobody condones violence, and the use of the N-word is violent. School administrators chose to take no action against the unnamed white boy (who deserves suspension and more, and his parents should be reported to Child Protective Services for raising such a little monster) but suspended Autumn for 45 days, sentencing her to an "alternative" facility where students are required to wear orange jumpsuits (talk about the school-to-prison pipeline) and subjected to extreme so-called discipline.

Rather than submit to such extreme insanity, Autumn ran away from home and was considered a suicide risk. Her parents have filed a lawsuit against the school district and complained to the Department of Education. Still, this amazing young lady has had her high school senior year interrupted and besmirched. And the toxic little white boy who taunted her mercilessly has experienced no consequences. We don't even know his name!

Anti-blackness is at a peak, and it is disgustingly virulent. Black people are being openly massacred by socalled law enforcement officers who face few consequences for their murderous ways. They claim they fear for their lives. What did Autumn fear when, after enduring racist harassment, she snapped? Who wouldn't snap after the madness? And why is

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Guest Columnist

Marc H. Morial

Fair Access to Financial Services is Vital to Closing the Racial Wealth

"In 2022, in the United States of America, you can be turned away at a bank because of the color of your skin. The wealth and income disparities between white and minority households are a consequence of the unequal access and treatment minorities have faced. From accepting slaves as collateral for loans, to Jim Crow, to redlining, to the subprime mortgage crisis' predatory practices, to the current crypto crisis, Black and brown Americans have never had equal access to or fair treatment in financial services." — Sen. Sherrod Brown

Recently, I had the opportunity to testify to the Senate Banking Committee at a hearing titled, "Fairness in Financial Services: Racism and Discrimination in Banking," to shed light on racism in the banking industry and urge passage of the Fair Access to Financial Services Act.

Throughout our work, we have seen the dire consequences of an American financial system that has systematically cut off and shut out individuals, families, businesses and communities of color from access to capital.

When people of color suffer racist engagement in the financial marketplace, it causes substantial monetary and non-monetary harm. Depending on how the racist behavior occurs, be it systematic, digital, in-person, community members often are unaware they received disparate treatment or a discriminatory outcome. This stems from a centuries-long strain of the Black and minority community with banking institutions. The exclusionary and biased practices have been widely documented, including the banking industry's tendency to disproportionately open and operate branches in white/non-minority communities. In addition to the reluctance to operate in communities of color, another source of racial discrimination may be bank employees' discretionary practices in charging costs and fees. Bank employees wield discretionary power in racially executing bank policies — they determine how much a customer pays in costs and customers may face varying fees depending on who they talk to at the bank. The concerns about racial discrimination and bias in the banking workforce are also not new and are illustrated in analyses of data from

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