Each night of Chanukah we will share a message from our clergy, candle blessings, and inspiration from our Orange County community.
Rabbi K'vod's message includes who we are honoring as tonight's Shining Light, and each night of Chanukah we will continue to honor very special people in our TBESOC community.
In the spirit of Hanukkah, an eight-day holiday that celebrates the restoration of Jewish religious freedom in ancient Israel, we are highlighting eight religious communities under threat across the globe. Join us in shining a light on the areas of the world where darkness remains and the freedoms of religious communities are suppressed. Let this year’s Hanukkah observance, remind us to promote religious liberty and end the oppression of religious minorities wherever they may be. Please share this information with your friends and family to show your support for these communities and for religious freedom around the world.
Religious Minorities in Yemen
In January of this year, you may remember that TBESOC had a refugee fleeing religious persecution in Yemen, Mohammed al Samawi, speak at our synagogue. Mohammed a peace activitist promoting understanding between Muslims, Jews, and Christians was persecuted for his interfaith work and fled Yemen as a result of this persecution. The U.S. estimates 55% of the Yemen population to be Sunni and 45% to be Shia Muslims. Jews, Baha’is, Hindus and Christians comprise less than 1 percent of the population.
In 2014, a conflict between the Yemeni government and a Houthi-led movement began. Many sources consider this conflict to be part of a regional power struggle between two branches of Islam, the Shia and the Sunni. The 2019 Report On International Religious Freedom reported that by the end of 2019, the Houthis controlled one third of Yemeni territory and nearly 80% of the population. Mohammed fled Yemen in fear of his life after he, a Shia Muslim, was trapped in territory controlled by the Houthis who were Sunni.
Religious persecution of those of the Bahai faith occurred as well. In an August 9, 2019 report, the UNHRC Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen said, “There are also reasonable grounds to believe that the right to freedom of religion or belief has been violated in Yemen. The de facto authorities continued to persecute Baha’is on the basis of their belief, including by detaining and charging them with apostasy, openly deriding and demonizing the Baha’i faith in legal filings, issuing death sentences, and threatening their supporters.” The panel also stated the Houthis had “committed acts that may amount to war crimes, including cruel treatment and torture [and] outrages upon personal dignity.” It documented the Houthis’ detaining students, human rights defenders, journalists, perceived political opponents, and members of the Baha’i community.
According to the newspaper Al Arabiya, the Houthis raided mosques and arrested worshipers for celebrating Eid al-Fitr on June 4 (the date for the holiday declared by the government), rather than June 5 (the date designated by the Houthis). At one mosque, the Houthis reportedly killed an imam and nine worshipers after they refused to stop their Eid prayers.
On April 22, the U.S Department of State issued a statement expressing the U.S. government’s concern about the Baha’i population of Yemen and called on the Houthis to end their mistreatment of the Baha’is, stating, “…Baha’is face daily discrimination and persecution as they seek to practice their faith in Yemen and elsewhere around the world. Freedom of religion is a fundamental human right and a source of stability for all countries. Every person around the world should be free to practice their religion without fear of intimidation or reprisals.”
BE THE LIGHT: Chanukah with TBESOC Saturday, December 12 at 6pm
While we have been looking sooo forward to creating an in person Chanukah event, we are changing our Drive-In BE the Light event to be virtual only. Even though the event was planned with safety at the forefront, this week, many of our volunteers and faculty have shared that they are not comfortable participating. We also want to set a good example for our children by staying home. We will re-create the event online only, and very much look forward to seeing you there.
During the course of this pandemic, we have experienced disappointment after disappointment as we have had to cancel celebrations, travel, holidays with family. Each of these disappointments creates a sense of loss and darkness. Chanukah is a time to see light in the darkness and shine out to the world. Like every holiday that we’ve celebrated virtually this year, each one of us has the opportunity to bring our light and our presence to our virtual online experiences. We want to celebrate with you and continue to shine even as we follow the stay at home order.
To drop off gift cards for families in need: please stop by the temple Mon-Fri 8am-3pm. For families with children: Please join us on Monday, Dec 14 at 5:30pm online here for a Chanukah celebration that is age appropriate.
