‘We are here to stay’: Myrtle Beach Rabbi sends message of hope at Hanukkah celebration

About fifty people gathered in the center of Market Common Monday night to light the Menorah candle and commemorate the Jewish celebration of lights, Hanukkah.

Rabbi Avi Perets, of Temple Emanu-el gave a brief lesson before leading his congregation in worship song. Residents sang traditional holiday music such as “Dreidal, dreidal, dreidal.”

Carol Seplow, North Myrtle Beach resident and a temple member for the past 15 years, said that more people showed up this year in comparison to last.

“I am so thankful for the turnout that we had to be represented in this community,” Seplow said. “And we had more security this year so people felt safer.”

Last week, the city of Myrtle Beach and the city of North Myrtle Beach publicly condemned antisemitic acts after another round of hateful fliers were found outside of homes all across the Grand Strand.

The fliers, which have circulated Grand Strand neighborhoods and neighborhoods across the U.S. all summer, contain false, hateful messages against Jewish people.

Rabbi Avi said that Monday’s celebration was about sending a message “loud and clear.”

“We hope the message will be a message of hope and peace and religious freedom,” Perets said. “Diversity is one of the elements that this country was established from. “In view of the antisemitic fliers that people received in the area, I think it’s so much more important for us to say that we are here. We are here to stay and we are not going to be intimidated by that.”