Menorah comes to Mount Rushmore

Rabbi Mendel Alperowitz of the Chabad Jewish Center of South Dakota celebrated Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, at Mt. Rushmore Dec. 14.

Alperowitz brought a portable menorah to light as local and visiting Jews sang the traditional holiday song, “Maoz Tzur.”

The Rabbi explained the history of the holiday, which celebrates a military victory over the Syrian Greeks. 

“Every year we commemorate the victory of the few over the many, the weak over the might, the good over the evil and the miracle of the oil that lasted for eight days,” he said.

Alperowitz said that in America this holiday takes on a special meaning due to Americans’ right to freedom of religion. 

“One of the great values  in this country is the freedom to worship and the ability we have to worship freely, openly and with pride. And therefore it’s very special that we can celebrate this tradition and celebrate it right here at the foot of Mt. Rushmore,” he said.

The Rabbi said that this year it is especially important for Jewish people to “not feel that we need to hide our Menorah, hide our religious identity.”

Alperowitz noted the brave young men in Israel who are risking their lives during the country’s war. He showed a picture of a family currently  in captivity, a family that last year was able to freely light their household Menorah.

Before leaving the Rabbi recited a blessing for the wartime hostages and gave a brief rendition of the Kaddish, a sacred prayer that glorifies God and asks for peace for Jews and Israel.