CLEVELAND — In the last year, Public Square's tree lighting has seen a juvenile brawl and a shooting. Cleveland Police set up a perimeter around Public Square's annual Hanukkah celebration to ensure everything went according to plan.
"It's really special for us to be able to do it in the public sphere, which is something that started about 50 years ago in Philadelphia," Rabbi Yossi Freedman said.
The Menorah is a symbol of freedom, according to Rabbi Freedman. Around 300 B.C., Jewish decedents were prosecuted for maintaining their religion, he added.
"A small Jewish army called the Maccabees came out against them and they won the war," Rabbi Freedman explained. "The Jewish people are the past, present, and future. Hanukkah is one holiday that is also very celebrated in the open as a Jewish community, and that's why we take advantage to invite other people in the community that are not yet observant to at least do this."
Dozens of people attended Thursday's celebration.
"Tonight's been awesome. It's just great to get together with the fellow community, be able to celebrate, light the candle, and remember in today's time that it's more important to be together as a community, and it's just a wonderful time just to be able to get together around the holidays," Joshua Snowden-Bahr said.
Despite Public Square's holiday celebration track record of violence in the last year, Snowden-Bahr said he feels safe.
"I feel very safe. I think the best thing [about] being in a place like Cleveland [is that] it's a very open community, so there's a lot of diversity. It's important to have strength in the community and come together and celebrate in our own ways," Snowden-Bahr shared.
Even and Max Chik also told me they feel safe and appreciate the upgraded police presence.
"We can't let those who hate us for no rational reason win. We have to show we're here, we're proud, and we're not going to cower anymore. The Holocaust time is over. We're going to be out. We're going to be strong. We're going to be proud, and we so appreciate the police here and the security that they put up. I feel safe," Even stated.
In 2023, two 17-year-old boys were arrested after the shooting in Public Square. Guns were recovered, one of which was stolen.
Two teen boys, ages 15 and 13, were hurt in the shooting after the annual tree lighting.
RELATED: New video shows chaos after Cleveland Public Square shooting; calls for more protection
Since then, new safety features, such as a new smart camera, have been added to Public Square, and law enforcement has been upgraded.
Earlier this month, another set of teens caused trouble on Cleveland's Public Square following the tree lighting.
According to Cleveland Police, what started with girls fighting rolled into other fights among other groups of teenagers.
Cleveland police said several hundred unaccompanied juveniles were told to disperse while officers worked to maintain order in the area.
RELATED: Fight broke out among several hundred teens after annual tree lighting at Cleveland's Public Square
On Thursday night, several law enforcement officials surrounded the Hanukkah celebration until the event was over.
"The City of Cleveland has been super amazing and helpful. The city of Cleveland Police, even last year, went ahead of their game to do everything. I think this is doing great as well, so we're very, very confident that everybody is going to do the right thing and only celebrate in goodness and kindness," Freedman said.
The celebration included music, fried foods, and educational moments describing the importance of Hanukkah and lighting the Menorah.
Hanukkah is eight days and ends Jan. 2.
