Excerpt of an article by Connecticut Post Columnist MariAn Gail Brown
Twenty-five people, including Fairfield First Selectman Kenneth Flatto, gathered on the Sherman Green for the menorah lighting conducted by Rabbi Shlame Landa, director of Chabad of Fairfield, when the trio started screaming anti-Semetic rants.
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"When passing motorists saw what was happening, they pulled their cars over and joined our menorah lighting. They stood by us," says Landa, who's received an avalanche of supportive e-mails. Never once, he says, did he or any of those who attended the menorah-lighting think about leaving without lighting the Hanukkah candles.
"When passing motorists saw what was happening, they pulled their cars over and joined our menorah lighting. They stood by us," says Landa, who's received an avalanche of supportive e-mails. Never once, he says, did he or any of those who attended the menorah-lighting think about leaving without lighting the Hanukkah candles.
"They didn't scare us," Landa says. "Our reaction was one of shock, outrage and then determination to go on and not be intimated by them." Tonight Chabad of Fairfield will host another menorah lighting at 4:30 p.m. with the Jewish Community Center, at 4200 Park Ave. in Bridgeport.
The way to combat acts of bigotry, hate and fearmongering, is with "acts of kindness. It's by saying hello to a stranger, holding a door open, helping an elderly person with packages," Landa says. But the rabbi is also a realist. "We're aware that these types of people who hate are out there," he says. "We just have to go on."
In some cases, this means turning one's back and refusing to give them what they want most: a reaction.