WASHINGTON — On Tuesday, Speaker Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Senate Republican Leader McConnell, and House Democratic Leader Jeffries hosted the Capitol Menorah Lighting to celebrate the eight-day festival of Hanukkah. Rabbi Levi Shemtov joined them in the ceremony.
Below are Speaker Johnson’s remarks as prepared:
Welcome everyone and thank you for coming out to this beautiful event – Happy Hanukkah!
Thank you to Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Leader Jeffries, and all our many colleagues and friends here today.
I also want to give a special welcome to a few guests joining us this evening, the families of loved ones being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza.
We cannot imagine your unspeakable grief, but please know that we are doing everything we can to ensure every hostage is returned home safely. We will continue to lift you and your families up in prayer.
As we gather this afternoon, we can’t help but think of what the Jewish people are experiencing while they celebrate this special season. Many are experiencing persecution for expressing their faith – and in some cases, merely existing. It’s incumbent upon leaders to not only denounce this hatred, but to counter it with love.
Antisemitism is on the rise and at an alarming rate.
We see it on college campuses, on social media, from public officials and in fliers and leaflets scattered in predominately Jewish communities.
The last two months have proven that we have a long way to go in making the world a safer place for our Jewish brothers and sisters.
But we must remember that the only way to drive out darkness is to overwhelm it with light.
It is fitting today that we will light the Capitol Menorah – a symbol of the miracle of this holiday and a celebration of the rededication of the Second Temple and the triumph of the Maccabees.
But we are not just illuminating the Menorah – we are displaying it proudly in the People’s House for all of America’s viewing, like so many Jewish families have done in windows of their own homes across the country.
I am grateful to stand beside these leaders who deeply value the free expression of religion and are committed to fostering a culture that promotes the flourishing of Jewish people and the Jewish faith.
Thank you for this opportunity – may your candles burn bright this season.
I am happy to turn it over next to Leader Schumer.
That concludes our ceremony this evening.
We are grateful to everyone for joining us for this expression of faith and celebration of the miracle of Hannukah.
God bless all of you.