There are some concerning things afoot as an outgrowth of the Israeli-Hamas war. It would be easy to say that's Israel's problem -- and it largely is -- but for the crazy effect it's having in our country. We still have hostages there that Joe Biden doesn't seem in any hurry to get out and Iranian proxies are still attacking our assets, and have injured Americans. 

A menorah lighting was scheduled for the 2nd Sunday's Art and Music Festival on Dec. 10 in Virginia, but it was canceled by the organizers. Shirley Vermillion, the festival’s founder said, “The concern is of folks feeling like we are siding with a group over the other … not a direction we ever decide to head.”

Wait, what? They canceled a menorah lighting so as not to side with one group or the other? What does a menorah lighting have to do with the war? And when you cancel it, you are choosing to "side" with a group -- and it's a despicable choice. 

But turns out it was even worse than that, according to a statement from the United Jewish Community of the Virginia Peninsula skewering the festival's actions. The statement said the lighting had nothing to do with Israel or the conflict. 

Yet, appallingly, the event organizer claimed that a Chanukah celebration would send a message that the festival was "supporting the killing/bombing of thousands of men, women, and children," -- and even went a step further, by offering to reinstate the event if it was done under a banner calling for a ceasefire.

So it would be okay to have the lighting -- if they did it under a banner of calling for a ceasefire. Wow, that's crazy. The UJCVP called it antisemitic. 

We should be very clear: it is antisemitic to hold Jews collectively responsible for Israel’s policies and actions, and to require a political litmus test for Jews’ participation in community events that have nothing to do with Israel. Those standards would never be applied to another community. 

Since October 7th, we have repeatedly seen cases of Jewish people and institutions – including synagogues, Jewish homes and businesses – being targeted, sometimes violently, by those opposed to Israel or its actions. At a time of well-documented, rising antisemitism, the singling out and targeting of Jews is dangerous and harmful, serving to further exclude and alienate our community. 

Indeed, how crazy is it to not only cancel it for those reasons but then demand political compliance with the ceasefire crowd? 

It's not just Virginia, it's happening in other places as well, with similar excuses or security concerns. 

Hanukkah celebrations are being called off for being ‘insensitive to those who might be harmed by the Israeli- Hamas conflict’#i24NEWS senior U.S. correspondent, @Mike_Wagenheim reports from New York as Hanukkah menorah lightings are being canceled in U.S. and Canada pic.twitter.com/Ts4wiOdnHd

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) December 4, 2023

But if we're canceling this, we're saying that the terrorists win and change the very nature of our nation. 

As my colleague Susie Moore wrote, this, and the protests of Christmas tree lightings, are about trying to get people to fall into line. But they're not going to be able to cancel Chanukah or Christmas for that matter, even if they take these positions. 

There was another incident that happened over the weekend that shows what dangerous times we're in. We've seen these radical extremist "protests" largely at public events. But in Philadelphia, a group surrounded an Israeli style restaurant that serves falafel, and chanted "Goldie [the name of the restaurant], Goldie, you can't hide, we charge you with genocide."  

Protestors in Philadelphia stand outside of a Jewish & Israeli owned falafel restaurant

“Goldie, Goldie you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide” pic.twitter.com/yF7hQwev66

— Jordan (@thatJVG) December 3, 2023

Genocide by falafel? How do they have anything to do with genocide? This felt like a throwback to 1933. They also plastered "Free Palestine" and "This is genocide" stickers on the window of the restaurant. 

The owner, Michael Solomonov, donated the sales from his four restaurants which included Goldies to help with medical emergency response in the wake of October 7. How is that contributing to genocide? It's the opposite. 

Gov. Josh Shapiro called it out.

Tonight in Philly, we saw a blatant act of antisemitism — not a peaceful protest.

A restaurant was targeted and mobbed because its owner is Jewish and Israeli. This hate and bigotry is reminiscent of a dark time in history. https://t.co/WS2guahnsQ

— Governor Josh Shapiro (@GovernorShapiro) December 4, 2023

These aren't "protesters" -- they're harassers.

Where were the police? There doesn't appear to have been anyone arrested. People called out Shapiro for his failure to respond here. 

No anti riot police were dispatched.
No arrests were made.
Zero repercussions.

This is YOUR failure @PhillyMayor

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) December 4, 2023

The radical extremism is getting crazier and it is indeed a dangerous time.