Light does not need permission to shine: San Diego leaders unite against hate at Hanukkah ‘Rally for Light’

Photos and story by Karen Pearlman

Dec. 22, 2025 (San Diego) — Across the street from the calm San Diego Bay but amid a rising tide of global concern, some of San Diego County’s top elected officials, law enforcement and multi-faith leaders gathered Monday at the County Administration Center to send a singular message: Hate has no sanctuary in San Diego.

Organized by San Diego County Assessor Jordan Marks (shown speaking in photo above right), Monday afternoon’s "Rally for Light," marked the eighth and final day of Hanukkah, and the hour-long event ended with a ceremonial lighting of a 6-foot hanukkiah (menorah) by local faith leaders, county employees and community members.

While the event celebrated the "Festival of Lights," the atmosphere was underscored by a somber urgency following a string of recent anti-Semitic attacks reaching from San Francisco to an outdoor celebration on Bondi Beach in Australia.

“There was a lot of darkness that came to the Jewish community during this holiday season,” Marks said. “Even a small flame can push back against an incredible amount of darkness. That beautiful six-foot Menorah teaches us that light does not need permission to shine.”

Anti-Semitism Background

Anti-Semitism has been on the rise since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists launched a coordinated, large-scale invasion of Israel, carrying out massacres at kibbutzim and a music festival. Hamas is an acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, which translates to "Islamic Resistance Movement.”

In total, about 1,200 people were killed (the majority of whom were civilians) and roughly 250 hostages were taken to Gaza in what is considered the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

Since that day, antisemitic incidents have surged to historic levels across the world and the United States. The Anti-Defamation League recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents in 2024, the highest number in its 46-year history, and a 140% increase over the previous year. In California in 2024, the state recorded 1,344 incidents, ranking it as one of the top two most-affected states in the U.S.

While Jews make up only about 2% of the U.S. population, the FBI reported that they were the targets of 68% of all religion-based hate crimes in 2023.

A Shield of solidarity

The rally served as a moment of total unity among the county’s leadership. District Attorney Summer Stephan and Sheriff Kelly Martinez addressed the crowd not just with words of comfort, but with promises of protection.

Stephan revealed that following recent international violence — including the Bondi Beach murders that claimed the life of a 10-year-old girl — local law enforcement has been in constant communication with the FBI to prevent “copycat patterns.”

“Our law enforcement family stands vigilant,” Stephan said, urging the public to report even the smallest suspicious activity. “Don’t keep anything to yourself.”

Martinez echoed that commitment, stating it is her "personal conviction" to ensure every resident remains safe. “We have to speak out against hate in any form. There is no place for it in our communities,” she said.

Faith in action

Speeches shard by various faith leaders at the event reflected a broad coalition of support.

Rabbi Yeruchem Eilfort of CHABAD in La Costa explained that Hanukkah lights are traditionally lit in public spaces because the light is meant to be shared with all humanity.

“When light meets darkness, it’s an automatic thing,” Eilfort said. “The light wins every time.”

Speakers from other traditions stood in lockstep with the Jewish community.

Former Skyline Wesleyan Church Senior Pastor Jim Garlow spoke of the Jewish foundation of Christianity and that Christians need to stand by Jews.

“Thank you for the Jewish people; they gave us the Tanakh, they gave us the Torah,” Garlow said. “Because of that, we stand with them — we thank you... I pray protection supernaturally around the world this day. We declare on our country and across our world an outbreak of affirmation and love of our Jewish friends and neighbors. We pray that this Hanukkah lighting would grip the human heart in such a way it would drive back the evil.”

Rev. Shane Harris (shown speaking in photo, below right), president of the People’s Association of Justice Advocates, stood before the crowd with a message that was both a prayer and a demand for civil rights.

“I believe our public spaces must speak clearly: hate has no sanctuary here,” Harris declared, invoking the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to remind the audience that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

Harris, an ordained minister, also addressed the current climate of fear with a prayer.

“God of light, God of justice, God who hears the cries of the afflicted and walks with those who mourn, we come before you today with very heavy hearts but steady faith,” Harris said. “We lift up our Jewish brothers and sisters who are grieving from bearing the weight of hatred, not just in this country, but in this world that keeps resurfacing day after day. On this final day of Hanukkah, we thank you for the lesson of the menorah: that light does not need permission to shine and that even one flame can push back the darkness.”

Shamus Sayed, a leader in the Muslim community, reminded the audience that heroism transcends religion. He pointed to the actions of Ahmed Al Ahmed, a Muslim man who risked his life to save others during the Bondi Beach attack. “Heroism has no faith,” Sayed said. “It’s a powerful call of shared humanity.”

Leadership and legacy

Members of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors emphasized that the region’s diversity is its greatest asset.

Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe spoke of the personal power of “selecting healing while standing in faith,” while Supervisor Paloma Aguirre noted that public institutions must be the first to reject anti-Semitism and affirm the dignity of the Jewish community.

Supervisor Joel Anderson, who was singled out by Assessor Marks for his “moral clarity” in lighting up the county building in blue and white in a show of support earlier this month as well as his steadfast commitment to protecting all lives, including those of Jews in the county, kept his message focused on the region's future.

“Today is a beacon for everybody that there is no cap on love in San Diego County,” Anderson said.

Anderson has been a vocal proponent of religious inclusivity at the county level, and he emphasized that the public display of the Menorah was a necessary statement of belonging. He reiterated his belief that all faiths should be recognized during the holiday season, and framed the event as a celebration of the region's collective spirit.

Anderson also sent a special thank you to County CAO Ebony Shelton, who was at the event, and was instrumental in lighting the County Administration Building.

Other strong voices

A poignant moment at the event came from Ben Midler, a Holocaust survivor and a member of the R.U.T.H. Project. Midler, who frequently speaks to students about the horrors he witnessed, issued a firm warning about the necessity of speaking up now to ensure history does not repeat itself.

Nicole Murray-Ramirez of the County Human Relations Commission, wore a Star of David necklace to show solidarity. Murray-Ramirez with his words also declared concern over different groups of people who are being singled out and bullied, harassed and threatened, including those who are LGBTQ+ and immigrants.

He said he went to the home of a friend for a Hanukkah celebration earlier during the eight-day holiday and was hit with some realizations of the future of the world for generations to come.

Murray-Ramirez asked rhetorically, “What kind of world is being left for children who… worry if they are safe in our schools?” or feel the need to hide their Stars of David.