Dating back to the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, people came to America to seek freedom from religious persecution. No strangers to religiously oppressive regimes, the Jewish people also sought religious freedom in America, first arriving as early as the mid-1600s. Throughout its history, America has served as a beacon of opportunity and religious freedom for Jews from all over the world. And perhaps the most widely recognized symbol, by Jews and non-Jews alike, of God’s miraculous favor in the midst of persecution is the Hanukkah menorah.
Like many other religious symbols, the public display of the Hanukkah menorah has been the subject of litigation and attack over the years. But recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings have paved the way for people of faith to proudly display religious symbols in the public square. And for many Jewish Americans, publicly displaying the Hanukkah menorah reminds them of their rich heritage and a miraculous victory for religious freedom that took place over 2,000 years ago.