WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — A Williamsburg nonprofit is under fire over what they say is a misunderstanding about a menorah lighting ceremony proposed for their upcoming festival.
Over the weekend, the United Jewish Community of the Virginia Peninsula (UJCVP) released a statement claiming the nonprofit LoveLight Placemaking made a decision to cancel a scheduled menorah lighting at the group's music and arts festival this coming Sunday.
The statement reads in part, “The Jewish Community of the Virginia Peninsula is shocked and alarmed at LoveLight Placemaking’s decision to cancel a menorah lighting scheduled for the Second Sundays Art and Music Festival on Dec. 10 in Williamsburg – claiming it did not want to appear to choose sides in the Israel-Hamas conflict. To be clear, the menorah lighting, which was to be led by a local community rabbi, had nothing to do with Israel or the conflict.”
However, the founder of the nonprofit, Shirley Vermillion, released a statement to 13News Now in response to the criticism, claiming the menorah lighting wasn't cancelled. She said it was never actually scheduled as part of the festival's events.
Vermillion's statement reads in part, “The menorah lighting was never officially scheduled at our December festival. It was being discussed, but the Fire Marshall or City Manager's office had never approved the addition of a menorah lighting.”
She told 13News Now that local rabbi Mendy Heber approached her and asked to add a menorah lighting to Sunday's festival events.
"After consulting with the board, it was decided that we needed to continue steering clear, as we have for 14 years, of having any affiliation with any religious, political or cultural organizations or churches or anything that could cause division," Vermillion said. "We are an arts and music festival and have no interest in delving into anything other than that."
According to its website, the Second Sundays Art and Music Festival is a monthly street fair featuring over 150 unique artisans, musicians, street performers and food vendors in downtown Williamsburg.
Vermillion said the nonprofit has been "happy to have" the rabbi and his wife at their festivals selling challah with Chabad Williamsburg since this summer. She said they allowed them to be a vendor at the festival free of charge, since they also are a nonprofit.
"We're sad that our decision to stick to arts and music and community is being questioned," Vermillion said. "Over the years, we've rejected requests from all churches and religious denominations wishing to participate in the festival, and we simply need to stay on that course."
By Monday morning, at least half a dozen media outlets had published articles about the alleged event cancellation, amplifying the criticism of LoveLight Placemaking. Vermillion said she was overwhelmed with media requests, as well as vitriol and threats being sent to her on social media.
Even Gov. Glenn Youngkin weighed in on the controversy, posting on social media, “Singling out the Jewish community by canceling this Hanukkah celebration is absurd and antisemitic. The event organizers should immediately reconsider their actions and move forward with the menorah lighting.”
The American Jewish Committee, which describes itself as the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people, also released a statement Monday, saying that lighting a menorah is not "taking a side in the Israel-Hamas war" and the festival's decision was effectively holding "Jews collectively responsible for Israel’s response in the war."
Heber said he tried to discuss the issue with Vermillion and the board but never heard back. 13News Now asked Vermillion about this on Tuesday but did not get a response.
“No one was looking to do this," Heber said. "And we are still currently, today, Tuesday, hoping they will reconsider, apologize for the hurtful messages.”
Heber said he still wants to work out the problem.
“I didn’t want this, the Jewish community didn’t want this," Heber said. "I am sure they didn’t want this. Shirley is a wonderful woman and I bless her and hope she can talk to the board and reconsider some of the messaging that has been communicated with the Jewish community.”
13News Now asked Vermillion why the local rabbi might have left their conversation with the impression that the lighting ceremony was not approved because the festival organizers thought it was inappropriate due to the Israel-Hamas war. She said that when she spoke with the rabbi, she "mentioned that especially at this time, as people are so volatile, it wouldn't be wise to seem like we were picking sides."
The UJCVP's statement over the weekend said that the LoveLight Placemaking "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."
“That is kind of taking it very political when as a Rabbi, politics go aside," Heber said.
When asked about this, Vermillion told 13News Now those comments were part of her private conversation with Heber, but that her intent was not as the group has portrayed it. Her comments, she said, were in the context of trying to explain to Rabbi Heber that the nonprofit would need to remain neutral to all religious and cultural groups with any activity they allowed to happen at the festival.
“In light of current world events and the war, it would have been blown out of proportion, and immediately there would be people wondering why all types of celebrations weren’t being programmed as part of Second Sundays.”
According to the organization’s website, Chabad Williamsburg and Rabbi Heber appear to have a Menorah Lighting ceremony planned for this Thursday, the first night of Hanukkah. The event, which is open to the public, is set for 5 p.m. at The Sunken Garden on the campus of William & Mary.