“There are not words strong enough to condemn violence directed toward the Jewish community,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said.
HOUSTON — Police presence was heightened across the Houston area as members of the Jewish community gathered for Hanukkah celebrations Sunday night, following a deadly mass shooting at a Hanukkah event in Australia.
Officers were visible at multiple events, including a menorah lighting at Houston City Hall, as well as celebrations in Bellaire and Sugar Land. Community members said the strong turnout reflected both unity and resilience in the face of violence.
Getting swept up in song with candles in hand, crowds gathered in downtown Houston to watch the lighting of the menorah, a Hanukkah tradition.
“Hanukkah is a story about light pushing back against darkness, one flame at a time,” one faith leader said.
That message carried added weight after a deadly mass shooting at a Hanukkah event in Australia the night before, which authorities have described as an antisemitic terrorist attack.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire addressed the crowd at City Hall, condemning the violence.
“There are not words strong enough to condemn violence directed toward the Jewish community around the world. But antisemitism will not be tolerated in the city of Houston,” Whitmire said, drawing applause from attendees.
Security was increased around City Hall, with Houston police covering a wide area. In Bellaire, police also heightened their presence at a Hanukkah celebration earlier in the evening.
“Everyone I see, I want to go up and say thank you and thank them, because it’s so important what they’re doing, and I feel very safe,” a resident who attended the Bellaire event said.
Rabbi Yossi Zaklikofsky of The Shul of Bellaire told KHOU 11 that one of those killed in the Australia shooting was his close friend and colleague, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who helped organize the Bondi Beach event. Chabad.org announced Schlanger’s death and shared a photo of him online.
“He devoted and dedicated his life to spreading goodness, to spreading kindness, to spreading Judaism,” Rabbi Zaklikofsky said.
Despite the attack, Rabbi Zaklikofsky said celebrating Hanukkah openly is essential.
“If I went to Rabbi Schlanger right now, and I asked him, ‘How should I react to this event? Should we diminish the light of the holiday? Should we back down? Should we retreat? Should we cancel?’ His answer would be, ‘Absolutely not. Don’t just do whatever you were planning to do. Double down, do it stronger, do it louder, do it prouder,’” he said.
In Sugar Land, dozens of people also gathered for a menorah lighting in Town Square. Rabbi Yakov Feiglin, originally from Melbourne, Australia, and now living in Houston, said he was also friends with Rabbi Schlanger.
“Rabbi Schlanger was murdered spreading light, bringing light to the world, and he was murdered by people that wanted to do dark things and bring darkness to the world, and he was in the middle of bringing light,” Rabbi Feiglin said.
Among those injured in the Australian attack is 20-year-old Label Lazaroff of College Station. His uncle, Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff of Chabad of Houston, said Label was working at the event when the shooting occurred, and he remains in critical condition at last check.
“It’s terrible that this has happened to him, but we are hoping and praying and certain that he will have a speedy recovery along with all the other injured and we pray for the families who’ve lost their loved ones,” Rabbi Lazaroff said.
As Hanukkah begins, Lazaroff said fear should not, and will not, stop the Jewish community from gathering and celebrating.
“When we have people that are trying to extinguish the light of the Jewish people, we will just burn bigger and brighter. And so, Hanukkah will burn on,” he said.
Faith leaders are encouraging people of all backgrounds to continue attending Hanukkah events throughout the holiday.