To the Editor:
When I was in kindergarten, I was invited onto a local radio show during the holiday season. The host asked each child what they wanted for Christmas. Without hesitation, I proudly replied, “I’m a Hanukkah.”
There was a pause—a silence that seemed to last forever. I remember feeling confused. Had I said something wrong? It was my first realization that celebrating Hanukkah somehow set me apart, that my joy might make others uncomfortable. That moment stayed with me, shaping how I moved through a world where my holiday often glowed quietly behind closed doors.
Fast forward to Pennington in 2023, decades later. The first time I saw a public menorah lighting in our town square, I stood before it, arms lifted to the sky, and shouted “YES!” It was elation, relief, belonging all at once. The lights didn’t just illuminate candles; they illuminated our community.
For the past two years, Pennington has embraced the Hanukkah candle lighting as a shared celebration of light, resilience, and inclusion. It’s a simple gesture with profound meaning, saying that every tradition matters, every child belongs, and that joy can shine from every window, no matter the holiday.
When we gather to light the menorah in Pennington this year on December 14th at 6pm in Howe Commons on Main Street, it’s not only about remembering a miracle from long ago, it’s about creating one right here. A community where no one has to hesitate before saying who they are. When I walk through town now and see those candles glowing, I think of that little girl who once wondered if she’d said the wrong thing. And I smile because here, in Pennington, she was finally answered with light.
Sincerely,
Dr. Bena Long, Ph.D., M.S.M.
Pennington
