Chanukah Heroes
OUR EIGHTH AND FINAL CANDLE is lit for peace. Peace is in our hearts every day. Let us rededicate ourselves to a united Jewish community, to Israel, and to the hope of a true and lasting peace between Israeli and Arab, Jew and Gentile, and among all people of the world.
Chanukah Hero: Miri Ben-Ari
Miri Ben-Ari, known as the "hip-hop violinist," uses her tremendous musical talents to promote awareness about the Holocaust and Israel, particularly among young people. Her hit song "Symphony of Brotherhood" features Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s famous "I Had a Dream" speech. She is a Grammy Award-winning artist, who has performed with famous pop artists such as Kanye West, Wyclef Jean, Alicia Keys, and Britney Spears. She is also co-founder and CEO of "Gedenk" ("Remember"), a non-profit that promotes Holocaust remembrance. She was one of Jewish Women International's "Ten Women to Watch of 2007," and received the first Israeli Martin Luther King Award from President of Israel Shimon Peres.
Ben-Ari is a Chanukah hero because:
- She is dedicated to promoting peace and understanding amongst Jews and gentiles alike, through the vehicle of music
- She is a role model who demonstrates how one's gifts can be used for the betterment of the Jewish people and the entire world
Menachem Begin (right) and Anwar Sadat in conversation in 1977
Chanukah hero:
Menachem Begin, Israeli Statesman
Menachem Begin (1913-1992) was the sixth prime minister of Israel. Born in Brestlitovsk, he was a passionate Zionist from a young age. He was a leader in the Irgun, the Jewish uprising in Palestine against the British. Elected prime minister in 1977, his most significant accomplishment was signing a historic peace agreement with Egypt in 1979. He won the Nobel Peace Prize, together with Anwar Sadat, President of Egypt, for this achievement. The famous quote from his speech is: "No more wars, no more bloodshed. Peace unto you. Shalom, salaam, forever."
Begin is a Chanukah Hero because:
- He strove to achieve peace between Israel and its neighbors, successfully engineering a peace agreement with Egypt
