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Editor's note:
In the face of rising – and high profile – antisemitism, many American rabbis are encouraging Jews to go all in on Hanukkah this year, to celebrate with robust – and visible – displays of Jewish pride. Though a relatively unimportant holiday theologically, Hanukkah’s overlap with the Christmas season has made it a more familiar holiday to the wider, non-Jewish population. And, this December, the start of the eight day Festival of Lights was marked by very public and very flashy Hanukkah kickoffs, writes RNS national reporter Yonat Shimron, from automobile conveys, to candy cannons, to the 36-foot menorah illuminated outside New York City’s Plaza Hotel. “The best response is doing public events where we bring our Jewish identity and pride and show the world that light will overcome darkness and love and inclusion will overcome darkness and bigotry,” said Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann.
Religion News
Over 1,000 faith leaders call for Christmas cease-fire in Ukraine
The signers are advocating for a cease-fire to happen from Dec. 24 through Jan. 19, which is the 12th day of Christmas in the Orthodox calendar. By Kathryn Post/Religion News Service
At 50, ‘Immaculate Reception’ still lifts a region’s spirits
The name is a wordplay on the Catholic Feast of the Immaculate Conception. It came to symbolize the grit of the blue-collar city and gave Pittsburgh a needed morale boost. By Peter Smith and Jessie Wardarski/The Associated Press
Pagans and Christians alike can rediscover the ‘reason for the season’ in the old stories and deepen their own beliefs. By Emily McFarlan Miller/Religion News Service
Easter Island rebounds from wildfire that singed its statues
The massive, human-like statues carved many centuries ago represent an ancestor of the Rapanui community. By María Teresa Hernández/The Associated Press
India's visa temples attract devotees aspiring to go abroad
In Chennai, a city on the southern coast of India, there are at least two Hindu temples that have grown in popularity as “visa temples." By Deepa Bharath/The Associated Press
Commentary and Analysis
The idea of virgin birth has been part of Christianity since the start, but its significance has shifted over time. By Rodolfo Galvan Estrada III for The Conversation
Multicultural Jewish families and Jews of color are innovating food-centered holidays to bring their whole selves to the table. By Samira Mehta for The Conversation
The Christmas story is about Jesus coming to mankind. As holiday decorations show, Christians around the world often picture him in their own cultures. By Kayla Harris and Neomi De Anda for The Conversation
This Christmas story challenges the idea that we need physical might to overcome enemies. By Esau McCaulley/Religion News Service
Villagers ride on boats during a celebration in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Barra Vieja, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. Devotees of the Virgin of Guadalupe make the pilgrimage for her Dec. 12 feast day, the anniversary of one of several apparitions of the Virgin Mary witnessed by an Indigenous Mexican man named Juan Diego in 1531. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
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- This Week in Religion is a publication of the Global Religion Journalism Initiative, a collaboration among the Religion News Service, The Associated Press and The Conversation U.S.
- The three news organizations work to improve general understanding and analyze the significance of developments in the world of faith.
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