A friend of mine (named Yossi) that I knew from when I lived in NYC is a Chabad rabbi in Des Moines. Chabad likes to make a big deal out of Hanukkah. Typically they have one BIG menorah in front of their building and that's it.

This year, a new "outlet mall" opened in the area and one of the owners is Jewish and he wanted a menorah for the outlet mall. He calls the reform shul and they turn him down. He calls the De Moines Jewish Federation and they turn him down. Finally he calls the Chabad rabbi and gets "Sure. No problem. We'll even send someone out every day, to refuel the kerosene lanterns."

Also new this year is a menorah at Iowa State University and Ames City Hall; all sponsored by Chabad after they got turned down by other Jewish organizations.

It's not uncommon to invite Jewish politicians to light the menorah. Terry Branstad (former Iowa Governor, now Ambassador to China) has lit the menorah many times over the years. This year they invited a Jewish talk radio host (Simon Conway) and the event got a lot of free publicity on his radio show.

Last week Yossi gets a call from the local muckety-muck of the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) and is told: "you're causing Anti-Semitism with all these menorahs."

This is Iowa 2017. This is not Berlin 1935. Sounds like "victim blaming" to me. Seems like the JCRC is saying we should all just hide in the closet and hope people don't hate us.


The guy wearing the red hardhat is Terry Branstad


ISU Flyer


Simon Conway lighting the menorah

The UER snow works really well with the final picture.

That's some ass backwards Iowa thinking there.
Good thing I didn't put any Christmas lights...