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<\/a><\/p>\nEven on its face the photo is quite compelling, juxtaposing the Hanukah menorah against the Nazi flag. But the story behind it with its poem on the back resonated with me as a possible preamble – although assuredly (… hopefully) not at all on the same scale – to our impending travails come January 20th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n The picture was taken on the last (eighth) night of Chanukah in 1931 by Rachel Posner<\/strong>, the wife of Rabbi Dr. Akiva Posner<\/strong>, in the small town of Kiel<\/strong><\/em>, Germany. As tradition suggests, the menorah was displayed prominently in a street-side window, and the Posners happened to live directly across the street from the Nazi headquarters.<\/p>\n On the back of the photo Rachel composed a poem in German:<\/p>\n Chanukah, 5692 (1932)<\/em><\/p>\n "Juda verrecke"<\/em><\/p>\n die Fahne spricht<\/em><\/p>\n "Juda lebt ewig"<\/em><\/p>\n erwidert das Licht"<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n “Death to Judah”<\/em><\/p>\n So the flag says –<\/em><\/p>\n “Judah will live forever!”<\/em><\/p>\n So the light answers.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n When posters began appearing around Kiel declaring “Entrance to Jews Forbidden”<\/strong><\/em>, Rabbi Posner was angry and wrote a protest letter that was published in the local paper. Subsequently he was summoned by the chairman of the local branch of the Nazi party to participate in a public debate which took place under heavy police guard.<\/p>\n As anti-Semitic sentiment rose, and then scattered violence began to rear its ugly head, the Posner family fled to then-Palestine (Eretz Israel) in 1933. Fortunately they were able to convince most of their fellow 500 Jews in Kiel to also leave. And they also brought the “Light in the Window”<\/em><\/strong> with them. <\/p>\n The menorah is on permanent display at Yad Vashem<\/a>, Israel’s national Holocaust Memorial. But the family is allowed to use the menorah every year at Hanukah.<\/p>\n To me, the lesson is that we must all stay on guard, lest we deceive ourselves into believing “That could never happen again – at least not in America!”<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Sadly, there is a vile person who will lead our nation come January 20, 2017. We must not let our guard down.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n RESOURCES<\/strong><\/em><\/u><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [PS: I know Rachel wrote “1932” – but authorites agree that the eight days of Chanukay in the Jewish year of 5692 was 1931]<\/p>\n A Jewish Hanukkah menorah defies the Nazi swastika, 1931<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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