If you thought Gavin Newsom canceling this year’s public Christmas tree lighting was bad, it gets worse. Last night, Newsom was supposed to attend the 29th annual menorah lighting at the state Capitol to mark the first night of Hanukkah. But instead, like the Christmas tree lighting, he bailed and did a candle lighting virtually and behind closed doors instead. Seriously. 

According to the Sacramento Bee: 

“[Rabbi Moshe Cohen] said California governors Pete Wilson, Gray Davis, Arnold [Schwarzenegger], Jerry Brown have attended the ceremony on the Capitol’s west steps to celebrate the start of the eight-day Jewish Hanukkah festival.

‘This year, we were supposed to have Governor Newsom. Unfortunately, it had to be canceled and even the (Christmas) tree lighting was canceled,’ said Cohen of Chabad of Downtown Sacramento.”

Unlike the Christmas tree lighting, however, the public menorah lighting still went on without Newsom. Whereas Newsom claims to have canceled the tree lighting due to public safety over anti-Israel protesters, last night’s menorah lighting, attended by around 50 people, was peaceful with no protests.

So what’s Newsom’s excuse for bailing on this event?

The significance of this year’s in-person, public Hanukkah event cannot be overstated with antisemitism on the rise and an estimated 138 hostages still in Gaza. 

“At the Sacramento menorah lighting, Rabbi Mendy Cohen of Chabad of Greater Sacramento offered 138 little menorahs for each hostage unable to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah… 

‘So even though times are dark, we don’t say we’re gonna huddle in our bedrooms and light the menorah where no one sees,’ Rabbi Mendy Cohen said. ‘We’re afraid of what will happen and what people will say. These acts of lighting the menorah at the state Capitol; not being afraid, this is what’s gonna help us bring light to a dark time in history.’”

“Governor Newsom had the opportunity to stand publicly alongside California’s Jewish community, and in support of our ally Israel, and instead he cowered and remained out of sight. With antisemitism on the rise and pro-Hamas protests happening far too often, we deserve leaders with strong enough moral convictions to stand firm and do the right thing – in this case, simply showing up for the lighting of the menorah. Gavin Newsom should be ashamed.” – CAGOP Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson