Dutch Christians Build Menorah for Jewish Pride
In a windswept parking lot near the North Sea shore, Klaas Zijlstra stands motionless as he admires his latest creation. It’s the first time he is testing the 36-foot menorah he has spent weeks designing and building in the shape of a Star of David in his metal workshop in the northern tip of the Netherlands.
Despite strong winds, the menorah holds, thanks in no small part to its 6-ton base.
This isn’t just any mega-menorah. For one thing, it may be the largest in all of Europe. For another, it’s the handiwork of a Protestant metal contractor, paid for by Christian Zionists and meant to be a sign of solidarity with the Jewish people.
Oh, and it’s kosher for use on Hanukkah, too.
“It’s exactly like the rabbi wanted,” Zijlstra said.
The rabbi is Binyomin Jacobs of Chabad, who helped Zijlstra and a group called Christians for Israel design the nine-branch candelabrum so it could be used for the eight-day holiday.
On Wednesday evening, Hanukkah’s first night, Jacobs intends to mount a crane and light the first candle in front of hundreds during a public ceremony in Nijkerk, not far from Amsterdam.
Though commonplace in the United States and even in Russia, public Hanukkah events are a recent and revolutionary development in the Netherlands. Here they signify the growing self-confidence and openness of a Jewish community whose near annihilation in the Holocaust left a deeply entrenched tendency to keep a low profile.
“Twenty years ago, this wouldn’t have been possible,” said Arjen Lont, the Christian Zionist businessman who donated $40,000 to build and transport the menorah. “It requires a lot of openness.”
Lont says the purpose of the giant menorah, which can be used either with electric bulbs or oil lamps, is to send a message.
“After unspeakable suffering, the horrors of the Holocaust and most recently the attacks on Israel, Jews may feel they are alone,” Lont told JTA. “This is our way of saying you are not alone, we are behind you.”
The first public Hanukkah lighting ceremony in the country was organized in 1989 in Buitenveldert, near Amsterdam, by the wife of a Chabad rabbi, according to Bart Wallet, a historian of Dutch Jewry at the University of Amsterdam.
Today, such events are held annually in 19 municipalities, from the northern city of Leeuwarden, near Berlikum, to the southern border city of Maastricht, according to Jacobs.
Jacobs says public menorah lightings in the country signify the Jewish community’s confidence in asserting its place in Dutch society.
“Nowadays it’s also saying we are here, we are also a part of the fabric of religious communities and society,” he said.
Dutch Jewish reticence toward public displays of faith dates back at least to the 19th century, according to Wallet, when Dutch rabbis decreed that no Jewish rituals should be held in the public domain. At the time, Dutch Jews were keen on integrating into a democratic society as equal citizens, and they considered it counterproductive to showcase religious customs that set them apart from their compatriots.
The tendency was greatly reinforced after the Holocaust, when three-quarters of Holland’s population of 140,000 Jews perished — a higher percentage than anywhere else in occupied Western Europe. Today, about 40,000 Jews live in the Netherlands.
Wallet says things began to change in the 1970s, when Dutch Jews began displaying greater activism around anti-Semitism and Israel.
Even today, however, many Dutch Jews retain a sense of reticence when it comes to public displays of religion.
“There’s nothing wrong with these Hanukkah events, but to me they don’t seem familiar,” said Jaap Hartog, chairman of the umbrella group of Dutch Jewry, called the Dutch Israelite Religious Community, or NIK. “To me, Hanukkah is more a holiday that you celebrate at home with your family. The public candle lightings are more of an American thing.
“On a personal level, I’m not too keen on participating.”
Initially, Chabad rabbis organized candle-lighting ceremonies as part of their efforts to reach lapsed Jews, but today the menorah lightings are not organized exclusively by Chabad. Nathan Bouscher, a Jewish activist who is not himself religious, has co-organized candle lightings at the Dam, Amsterdam’s best-known square.
“It’s a way to build bridges between Jews and the non-Jewish environment, but also within the community and between Dutch-born Jews and the thousands of Israelis who live here and the tourists from Israel,” Bouscher said.
Back at Zijlstra’s metal workshop, his menorah is attracting attention from neighbors. During the test run last week, a few of them stopped by to admire his handiwork and congratulate him.
Next year, Christians for Israel says it wants to place the menorah in front of the European Parliament in Brussels to protest legislative proposals that seek to restrict Jewish rights such as circumcising male infants.
“On Hanukkah, the Jewish people remember their rebellion against the Greeks because the Greeks limited the Jews’ freedom of worship,” said Roger van Oordt, director of Christians for Israel’s Dutch branch. “We want to place this menorah there as a warning against repeating that history.”
Very Nice!!!
This is Nice maybe one day they will even see in there Bible it reads: Salvation is from The Jews!
too sad
Isn’t their only purpose to Shmad as many Yidden as possible, R”L!!!
How could a Shliach of the Rebbe be involved with such a thing?
Milhouse
No, their purpose is to get the brochos of ואברכה מברכך. Of course they want to shmad us, because they believe that is what is best for us, and of course we must avoid that, but that’s no reason to shun them or treat them like enemies. Accept their help in the spirit with which it’s given, but be careful not to let them spread their poison to the vulnerable.
Suri Schtroks
This is indeed a big event. A shout out to Rabbi Benyomin Jacobs. Hatzlacha rabah
sruli
the menorah lighting on the dam was maybe co organized by Mr bouscher but it was a chabad organized event. rabbis Evers and kammisar run it.
to # 2
in holland it works very different. that christian group has always been very close to the jews, they have no intention to convert them. they help out the jews many times with money and other stuff.
Milhouse
Of course they want to convert Jews. If they didn’t it would mean they hate us, and want us to burn in Hell! A Christian who doesn’t want to shmad you is an antisemite. They love us, so they want to save us from Hell; we should appreciate the sentiment, but be aware of Rashi Breishis 31:24 (go look it up).
Anonymous
Milhouse,
Not all groups don’t wish to convert anybody. Not all Xian’s have the same beliefs and many go by 10 commandments, not 7, though some may have different ideas on what constitutes idolatry.
No, not all Xian groups believe non-believers go to Hell. Why? Because the main belief is Yeshu already died for everybody’s sins.
Their “poison” wouldn’t exist without Judaism which Xianity is massively based on, the main divisive issue being believing one person as a messiah. Essentially, you’re calling Judaism poison as well.
“If they didn’t it would mean they hate us, and want us to burn in Hell! A Christian who doesn’t want to shmad you is an antisemite.”
Seriously, get on medication. Your paranoia, xenophobia and ignorance are out of control.
Non-Jews don’t think about you as much as you believe they do.
Milhouse
Anonymous, you’re clearly ignorant of Xianity. Yes, they believe he died to save all men, but one has to accept that sacrifice for it to work. One who doesn’t accept it doesn’t get the benefit. And there is no way to the Father except through the Son. So anyone who doesn’t accept him as his “personal saviour” can’t be saved. It’s a great pity, but that’s how it is; they have to go to Hell. Catholics allow that maybe there’s another place where people might go; they used to call this Limbo, but now they just say they don’t know. But Protestants insist there are only two places, and if you’re not in Heaven then you’re in Hell. So if we refuse the only way to Heaven, then we must necessarily end up in Hell.
This doesn’t make them bad people, they’re not saying these things because they hate us, they’re saying it because they honestly believe it to be true, and it bothers them. They don’t want us to go to Hell.
Their “poison” wouldn’t exist without Judaism which Xianity is massively based on, the main divisive issue being believing one person as a messiah. Essentially, you’re calling Judaism poison as well.
Um, no, that is not the main difference, or even a significant difference at all. In fact this paragraph makes me wonder whether you’re a Xian yourself. A person can be a fully kosher Orthodox Jew, and yet believe that Jesus was and will be Moshiach. It’s an extremely strange thing to believe, but it’s not against any of the ikkarim of our faith. But such a person would not be a Xian. Believing that Jesus is Moshiach does not make someone a Xian. Xians don’t think he’s Moshiach, they think he’s the Eibershter, chas vesholom. They think he made the world. They pray to him and they bow down to him, The whole concept of a “personal saviour” is alien to Yiddishkeit.
This is all avoda zara, and it’s poison to the soul. But they think it’s necessary medicine, so because they are such good people and love us so much, they want us to take their poison. It’s not their fault, but it’s a fact.
Ralph
Menachem Evers, Chabad Sjaliach organises the the beautiful annual Chanoeka on the Dam…
SEREL CHANA MANESS
TO# 2 THE REBBE HAS SAID MANY TIMES THAT IN THE DAYS OF MOSHIACH,THE NATIONS WILL BECOME JEWISH,MANY WILL KEEP THE 7 LAWS OF NOACH,THEY WILL WANT TO
Milhouse
If they’re Xian, they’re not keeping the 7 laws. But they believe that Hashem loves us, and will bless those who help us and curse those who hurt us.
So said a former Xtian
Gavriel Saunders, former Minister who became an Orthodox Rabbi – amazing story in itself, must see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3Gii1rrE3o
Anyway, he said that when a missionary approaches you, just say,”Thanks, but no thanks.” You don’t have to be nasty because they really feel they are doing you a favor. But, don’t debate them, because, yes, they know more than you….unless you really know your stuff like a pro (e.g. Rabbi Schochet, A”H).
For example
Would an average Yid, even orthodox, know how to answer this one, which happened to me?:
I was working as a temp, and was assigned to a
major insurance company for week- long
assighnment. Toward the end of the week, an
African manager starts talking to me. So he shows
off all the names of Hashem that we use. Then he
threw this one in,
“By the way, is the name Elokim plural?”
Milhouse
Why yes, it is. Any Orthodox Jew over the age of 7 or so should have learnt Rashi Bereishis 20:13.
Okay, but...
When an Xtian asks this question, you know what the insinuation is. But, would most Jews be prepared to simplify and give a short summary of the true answer in layman’s terms? See:
http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/85465/jewish/Maamar-VeYadaata.htm
Milhouse
No, but they don’t need that. All they need is the Rashi.