Official White House Photo by Pete Souza(WASHINGTON) — President Obama offered a message of hope and happiness as Hanukkah begins.
The Jewish holiday starts on Saturday evening, and the president put out a statement Friday afternoon. “As night falls over each of the next eight nights, Jews in the United States, Israel, and around the world will gather to light their Hanukkah menorahs, display them proudly in the window, and recall the miracles of both ancient times and the present day,” he wrote.
Obama used the story of the holiday to offer hope for 2017. “For more than two millennia,” he said, “the story of Hanukkah has reminded the world of the Jewish people’s perserverance and the persistence of faith, even against daunting odds.”
“May the flicker of each flame in every Menorah remind us all of the profound miracles in our own lives,” the president offered. “And may the light of hope we shed continue to drive out darkness and brighten the futures we build for our families, our neighbors, our communities, and our world.”
Each year, the president offers a statement on Hanukkah, as he does for Christmas and other religious holidays.
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