Montana Tucker, a social media influencer with 14 million followers, links Hanukkah’s defiance to modern Jewish resilience after Sydney’s deadly attack—where 12 Jews were murdered and 120 injured during a celebration—echoing Rabbi Shnora Zalman’s call for light against hatred. She urges Jewish women to light Shabbat candles as spiritual resistance, framing faith as a shield while honoring Holocaust-surviving grandparents who instilled strength. The National Menorah Ceremony, a Reagan-era tradition with 15,000 global celebrations, underscores unity amid rising anti-Semitism, blending historical bravery with contemporary solidarity. [Automatically generated summary]
We'll leave this here and take you now to the ellipse in Washington, D.C. for the National Menorah Lighting.
You're watching live coverage on C-SPAN.
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We're here full of resolve and gratitude.
And what we hoped was going to be a celebratory, joyous event.
But unfortunately, once again, we are marred by the disaster which struck just hours ago in a place very far away and distance, but very close to our heart.
We were all horrified to learn this morning of the cold-blooded murder of our fellow Jews in Sydney, Australia.
Innocent people seeking merely to celebrate their faith in the open as we are able to do here today.
We had to make a decision earlier about how to respond to that horrible, regrettable act of terror, especially in the face of what are almost unprecedented weather conditions.
Echoing in my mind were the words that were said by Rabbi Elie Schlanger, my colleague, Hashenyim Koindomoy, who said in response to a wave of anti-Semitic incidents in Sydney, really, he said, we have one response.
Be more Jewish.
Feel more Jewish.
Look more Jewish.
And that is what we are going to do today.
We no longer have any choice about whether he'd been killed, but we do have a choice about whether he will remain alive and whether what he stood for will remain alive.
Therefore, we decided, together with our incredible law enforcement and military, to go ahead and forge ahead and dedicate this very event to those who perished in today's massacre alongside him.
I ask that everyone pray for the recovery of those who were injured, including a cousin of mine who was in the ICU the last time I checked with serious injuries and also for the welfare.
And I ask all those across the community and beyond here and around the world to please pray for the recovery of Ahmed Al-Ahmed, someone who is not a member of the Jewish community, but gave up his safety and well-being to stop one of the gunmen and thus prevent even further loss of life.
May he recover speedily and fully.
I will now ask that as we begin today's program as joyous and as festive it will be in defiance of what has happened that we begin with a moment of silence and reflection to honor the memory of those who are no longer with us.
Thank you very much We are honored here by the presence of many dignitaries and members of the administration, chief among them the Honorable Howard W. Lutnick, the United States Secretary of Commerce, Ambassador Stuart Eisenstadt,
a storied public servant who's the chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, who has a direct connection to what we're celebrating here and the establishment of this very menorah and the thousands which it has spawned across the world.
And he's here with members of his family.
And of course, the one who established this program, even before it was brought to Washington in the late 70s, when the president came to the lighting, and the following year, when the president Reagan, who did not do outdoor events, declared this the national menorah.
And that is my father, Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, the National Director of American Friends of Lubavitch and the chairman of Agudas Chasidi Chabad, the umbrella organization of the international Chabad Labavitch movement.
Now, obviously, this event is the most prominent celebration of Hanukkah, if not the most widely publicized Jewish event anywhere in the world.
I join with over 5,000 of my colleagues in all 50 states and over 110 countries who are organizing some 15,000 public Hanukkah events.
The decision was made by the central organizational leadership of the international Chabad Labavitch movement to continue with our public celebrations of Hanukkah, obviously with increased security measures, as you're very easily able to see today, so that the darkness that came over our colleagues and across the greater Jewish community as a result will be answered with strength, light,
and resistance and with resilience, like the Maccabees did.
I'll have more to say about that in a little while, but for now, let's begin the program by welcoming the heroes of the United States Air Force Band led by Second Lieutenant David Gallant and the three cantors we have, Cantor Yuri Cohen, Cantor Duvi Miller, and Cantor Aaron Tesler, one from Atlanta, the other from New Jersey, and Aaron Tesler is our own from here in Washington.
We've been fortunate that the military district of Washington has been supporting this event for decades now.
And I would like to ask them to welcome us with Shalom Aleichem, the song of peace, the song of welcome.
And before they start, and we hear even one word, can we please hear the greatest applause you've ever given?
Because today is the toughest conditions in which they've played.
The Three Canthers, the United States Air Force Band.
And we're very proud of the United States Air Force Band.
And as I just said to them earlier, it is because of the work that the members of our armed forces do wearing their uniform that we're able to do the work that we do wearing ours.
Now, to move quite along, I'm going to be a little slimmer with the introductions and I'm going to introduce the winners of the National Menorah Essay Contest.
This was dedicated to honor the memory of Rabbi Mendy Darin, who was a pillar of the operations here in Washington for a number of years.
And just before we do that, and they're getting ready, I just want to know that we have an important character here.
His name starts with a D.
I know that he's about to come out here.
As soon as he hears his name, he said very loudly.
So, it's a D, second letter is an R. Let's hear the music to welcome him.
And that will be done by the National Menorah Orchestra for the Hanukkah sing-along.
Here we go.
Let's hear you sing his name.
His name is Dreidelman.
We need you to scream it until he shows up.
Let's go!
The Chanukah medley.
Here we go.
He's got the spinning trade on.
Here we go.
Oh Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah, come lined up in Ora.
Let's have a party, we'll all dance the horror.
And round the table, we'll give you a treat.
Tradles to play and naturally.
And while we are playing, the candles are burning low.
One for each night.
They shed our sweet lights who remind us of days long ago.
One for each night.
They shed our sweet lights who remind us of days long ago.
They remind us of days long ago, oy hanike, Young Tiff has seen me, all has seen me
Geschwindet kinder, that's of day long ago
We are not too old for the wonder just in the novel Tino
Let's get those dreidels spinning.
I have a little dreidel.
I made it out of clay.
When it's dry and ready, I shall play.
I made him out of clay.
And when it's dry and ready, oh, dreadlight shall play.
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, train.
I made you out of clay.
Dreidel, I shall play.
I had a little dreidel.
I made it out of clay.
And when it's dry and ready, dreidel I shall play.
Oh, little traitor, dreidel.
I made it out of clay.
Oh, when it's dry and ready, oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel.
I made you out of clay.
When it's trying to rain.
Oh, dreidel, I shall play.
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel.
I make you out of clay.
And when you're dry and ready, oh, dream like something.
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel.
I made you out of clay.
And when you're dry and ready, one more time.
Oh, head a little dreidel.
I made it out of clay.
When it's dry and ready, oh, dread like shoplade.
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel.
I'll make you out of clay.
And when you're dry and ready, dreidel like something.
Oh, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel.
I'll eat it out of clay.
And when it's dry and already, oh dreidel, I shall play spindle, dreidel.
Whoa, guys, because of the weather, there might be a few, some fewer of us.
We've got to make it up and make lots more noise.
Now, we have our winners of, there we go.
Thank you very much, Dreidelman.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Now we're going to call the two winners of the National Minor Essay Contest, as we mentioned.
The first is Ms. Dvorah Zubis, a fourth grader from the Hebrew Academy Community Day School in Orange County, California.
When Hanukkah comes, joy fills the air.
Hanukkah is super fun, and eating wakas is a delight for everyone.
Wakas crisp, soft, and hot, they really hit the spot.
I love Hanukkah, and so do you.
Hanukkah means a lot to every Jew.
Lighting the Minaira is such a delight.
I love watching the candles burn so bright when we light the menaira every night.
Every day of Hanukkah, there is a smile on my face.
Every Hanukkah party I go to is in a different place.
Dreidel spinning everywhere.
Spinning, spinning here and there.
Jados, we love to spin.
I hit gimmal and then I win.
Making Hanukkah crafts is so much fun.
Bring one home to show everyone.
Sufganas are really yummy.
They really fill my tummy.
We learned about Hanukkah long, long ago and how the Jews went over the Greeks.
Only one jug of oil lasted eight days.
And we can learn about Hanukkah in so many ways.
That is what Hanukkah means to me.
Whoa, thank you, thank you.
Mazel Tov, thank you very much for being here.
I'm sure your family are so proud.
We normally have more introductions, but we're trying to move this along as you can imagine.
Our next National Menorah Essay Contest winner is Miss Minuka Blasberg, a fifth grader all the way from Desert Torah Academy in Las Vegas.
It's a bit cold for you, isn't it, huh?
I would like to say that Ms. Menucha Blasberg is a cousin of Rabbi Schlanger who was killed in Sydney.
And I think that there's nothing we could do to honor his memory more than to continue with this celebration and especially with someone of the next generation to read her essay.
So, Ms. Manucha Blasberg, if you wouldn't mind to drop the essay for a second so everyone can see that beautiful metal and sash you won.
Wow.
And now we want to hear what you have to say.
What Hanukkah means to me.
Standing up for what you believe in can be scary.
But Hanukkah teaches me that even a little bit of bravery can make a big difference.
Hanukkah is a holiday in which we remember the great miracles that happened to our ancestors.
But Hanukkah is not just an old tale.
It teaches us important lessons that still matter today.
We should always stand tall for what we believe in.
To me, Chanukah means having the courage to stay true, even when it's hard.
Thousands of years ago, in the holy city of Jerusalem, the Greeks marched in and forbade, warning Taiva, keeping Shabbos, and doing the mitzvah of Beshmilah.
Even though the Greeks tried to make the Jews give up their belief, the Jews stood strong.
Some hidden caves so they could continue to learn the beloved Taiva.
No matter what the Greeks said, the Jews stayed loyal to Hashem because they believed it was the right thing to do.
Eventually, the Jews had enough.
And a brave man named Yehudah formed the famous Maccabees.
The Maccabees were only a few hundred people, and the Greeks were thousands.
Still, they stood tall and trusted in Hashem.
They believed so strongly in their values that they were willing to fight for them.
Surprisingly, the Maccabees won.
They showed the world that when you stand up for what you believe in, amazing things can happen.
Another great Hanukkah hero is Yehudas.
A powerful and dangerous general named Halathornis threatened the Jewish people.
Yehuda stood up for what she believed in, even though it was risky.
She gave him cheese and wine until he fell asleep.
And then she killed him to saints for people.
Yehuda shows incredible courage because she put her beliefs before her own safety.
The people in the Hanukkah story teach us that no matter how hard things get, we must stand up for what we believe in.
Yehuda fought for the truth and Yehudas risked for life to protect the people.
Their actions remind us that Hanukkah is not only about miracles, but also about bravery and staying loyal to our values.
May we all learn from the Hanukkah story to always stand up for what we believe in, just like I have to do in my own life every day.
Happy Hanukkah.
Whoa!
That was wonderful.
And you know, I know we're all cold here, but a few months ago at our Lamplighter Awards dinner, we honored one of the greatest fighters for the Jewish people today named Dr. Alex Karp.
And he said that everybody is going to have to go out of their comfort zones once in a while if we're going to have a fighting chance.
And I think that those words are very relevant tonight as it's not very comfortable, but as the mission cannot be any more important than it is now when we see darkness, we see cold, we see terror, we see threat, and we respond with the Jewish spirit like the Maccabees did.
I know that some people question how much we belong here and how much America is for the Jewish people too.
My answer to that would be very simple.
Many years ago in Valley Forge during the Revolutionary War, we are told the story was mentioned by the president a few years ago.
General George Washington goes into one of the barracks and he sees a soldier with a little flame and he's in tears and he goes over to him, remember, cold, hungry, much worse off than we are today.
And he says to him, Soldier, why do you cry?
And he said, because I'm fighting for you, General.
And I know that we're going to win because I think about my relatives in Europe and the persecution that they are undergoing.
And you're trying to build a new nation with religious freedom for all.
As the story goes, a year later, the war was over.
And now President George Washington finds this soldier and gives him a medal inscribed to a brave soldier from a grateful nation, General George Washington.
So I don't care what people say about how American we are.
I was born in Philadelphia during the bicentennial.
I was raised in my Jewish school to feel a deep sense of patriotism.
My mentor and the mentor of the Chabad Labavitch movement, the Labavitch Rebecca Rabbi Menachem Mendelschneerson of blessed memory, taught us to respect and support and do all we can to contribute to this Mahos Shelches, this kind nation.
And I will not let anyone, no matter how much influence they may have in social media or otherwise, tell me whether I am American enough and whether I belong here.
We have Jewish men and women here who serve in the military risking their lives every day for our freedom.
Nobody is going to tell us whether we give enough.
This is our country.
And the flag behind us, both on top of the White House and closer in, plus the menorah behind me, show that this is the land of the free, the home of the brave, with liberty and justice for all.
So we have seen worse, but we also have to see light in the darkness.
And in the realm of social media, there is a certain group of people who fight for our cause without fear.
One of them is our next speaker.
She's got 14 million followers on her various platforms.
And even though it is of great risk to her commercially, she defends the cause of the Jewish people without hesitation.
So, please put your hands together so we can hear from Montana Tucker.
How are you doing today?
Thank you so much for coming out here today in this freezing, freezing cold.
There is something so surreal and special about standing here again in our nation's capital under this beautiful, beautiful menorah just in front of the White House.
And my heart is so full of gratitude, pride, and purpose.
Two years ago, I stood here as a proud Jewish woman with a message.
And today I return with that same pride, but with even more urgency because of the heartbreaking arise and anti-Semitism around the world.
This menorah, this light, means more now than ever before.
And before I say anything else, I want to take a moment to honor and remember the lives lost earlier today in Australia.
At a Hanukkah celebration near Bondi Beach, a gunman opened fire, murdering 12 innocent people and injuring dozens more.
This was an attack on Jews simply celebrating their faith, celebrating Hanukkah, dancing, singing, just being Jewish.
So to our Jewish brothers and sisters in Australia and every single Jew around the world who feels shaken, we are together.
You are not alone.
Your pain is our pain.
Because when Jews anywhere in the world are targeted, it affects all of us.
We are Am Ichad, one people, one heart, one soul, one mishbucha.
And this is why we must shine our light even brighter.
Because when they try to break us, we get louder, right?
We get prouder, right?
And we make sure that the world sees that no amount of hate will ever extinguish our flame.
We're not just lighting candles, we are igniting courage.
We are shining light into some of the darkest corners of the world.
Places filled with hate, fear, and silence.
And we're here to say we will never be silent, not now and not ever again.
Now, some of you may know me from my TikTok dancing videos, but my Jewish story did not begin on TikTok or Instagram.
It began long before I was even born.
Wow, this is crazy wind.
Oh my goodness.
Okay, sorry.
My grandparents were Holocaust survivors and they witnessed the unimaginable.
They lost everything, their families, homes, and childhoods.
But what they never lost was their faith.
They survived the absolute darkest of times and they passed down to me the most powerful inheritance.
The strength to remember, the courage to speak, and the pride to stand unapologetically Jewish, even when the world doesn't want us to.
When I light the menorah, I feel them with me.
I feel them with me here today.
Survivors who saw the absolute worst in humanity, yet still believed in the light.
Now, I have over 14 million followers on social media, but I made a very, very strong choice.
I don't just sing and dance to entertain.
I use every post, every beat, every platform to fight for truth, to stand with Israel, and to stand out against anti-Semitism.
Thank you.
Since October 7th, I have told the stories of survivors.
I've marched with hostage families, and I've lost followers and friends, even a lot of business, just simply for standing up for my people.
But I will never, ever, ever stop.
Because if I'm not using my platforms to stand up for what I believe in, then what is the point of even having them?
People often ask me, what does it mean being Jewish?
It means belonging to a people who have survived thousands of years despite every attempt to erase us.
It means carrying resilience in your bones.
It means lighting candles as a rebellion against darkness.
It means refusing to let the flame of our identity go out.
Hanukkah isn't just a really fun and exciting holiday.
It's a blueprint.
The Maccabees were a tiny, tiny army, but they refused to bow down, refused to give up, refused to let their faith be erased.
And they didn't just win a battle.
They lit a flame that should have lasted one night, but lasted eight.
As the prophet Zachariah said, not by might nor by power, but by my spirit.
That is the real miracle of Hanukkah.
Not weapons, not armies, but faith, identity, light.
And here's something I want to say directly to the Jewish women and young girls that are with us tonight or watching.
Why wait for Hanukkah to bring light into this world?
Why not do it more throughout the year?
You know, lighting Shabbat candles is one of the most powerful things that we can do as Jewish women.
It's not just tradition, it is spiritual resistance.
It's beauty, it's strength, it's healing.
And every Friday, just before sunset, we have the sacred moment and opportunity.
A moment to pause, to disconnect from all the chaos going on in this world, and to connect with who we are and where we came from.
Candles, flames, with the intent to remember and to observe.
And each time we light them, we say the Jewish people are still here and we are not going anywhere.
Our enemies, they just want to see us disappear, but our biggest revenge is being visibly, proudly, and joyfully Jewish.
Now, there are so many different ways to be Jewish.
I mean, look around here.
We all look different.
We all sound different.
We pray and live differently.
But what unites us is our light.
The light of our stories, the light of our shared memories, the light of our faith and our fire to keep going no matter what.
So if you've never lit Shabbat candles before, let this be your sign.
You don't need to be religious or even know Hebrew in order to start the sacred observance.
You don't need anything fancy, just your hands, aflame, and your heart.
Because every time we light the candles, whether it's for Hanukkah or Shabbat, we are pushing back the darkness.
And when we have been struck with so much darkness, like earlier today, our response must always be more light.
We are living in a time when Jews are so afraid to wear their stars of David, when synagogues need armed guards.
I mean, look how much security is here.
When lies travel faster than truth.
But like the Maccabees, we will not hide, right?
We will not back down.
We will not be afraid to be proud of who we are.
So to every Jewish teen or adult that is here or watching this who has ever been told to stay quiet or hide who you are, please don't.
To every ally that is here with us or watching, thank you so much because this is not just a Jewish fight.
This is a human fight.
To anyone who's ever been made to feel less than, you are a light.
And the world needs your flame.
We were never meant to blend in, none of us.
We were meant to shine.
Sorry.
So tonight, as we light this beautiful menorah, we remember the words of Rabbi Shnora Zalman.