A couple of days ago, I commented on the disturbing decision of the town council in the London Borough of Havering to cancel this year's Chanukah display.
I am delighted to learn that the Havering Council has reversed its decision due to public pressure from individuals and organizations including the Muslim Association of Britain which stated the decision to remove the menorah was "offensive to our Jewish brothers and sisters".
While common sense prevailed on the other side of the Atlantic, the same cannot be said of my home and native land, specifically the mayor of Moncton, New Brunswick. Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold informed the local Jewish community there would not be a menorah display because of a 2015 Supreme Court of Canada decision prohibiting prayers before city council meetings.
This explanation is, of course, nonsense because there are still Christmas displays on city property. The real reason this came to pass is because of weekly anti-Israel demonstrations which have included pro-Hamas and anti-Semitic slogans. This is intimidation pure and simple and Mayor Arnold simply caved in.
Shame!!!
One can only hope that as in Havering, public pressure will compel the mayor to restore the Chanukah display to Moncton City Hall.
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