JUNO BEACH, Fla. — A sand castle menorah on Juno Beach has taken on deeper meaning following the tragic shooting in Australia that claimed at least 15 lives, serving as both a celebration of Hanukkah and a memorial to the victims.
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"We need as much peace and hope as we can get," said Jeff Hughes, who was walking along Juno Beach with his son. "The beach is lovely on its own, but then to have this amazing piece of art promoting peace, it's amazing."
The annual tradition, now in its fifth year, carries the theme of peace and love. This year's message resonates particularly strongly in the wake of the Australia tragedy.
"The words are so meaningful, and I hope people read those words and do good by them," said Christine Meehan. "This is almost like a nice memorial."
Meehan was walking through the beach with Gary Peppas, who are both in town for the winter. When Peppas learned of the shooting in Australia, he expressed his disbelief.
"When does it end?" Peppas said. "I just don't understand it."
Juno Beach
Giant sand-sculpted menorah in Juno Beach defaced with swastika
The sculpture is hosted by the Jewish Community Synagogue North Palm Beach and sits on a public beach just north of the pier.
Sunday night they had a candle lighting ceremony that Rabbi Leib Ezagui with the Jewish Community Synagogue North Palm Beach estimates had a record crowd of 700+ people, with security measures to match.
"State trooper was here, Juno Beach PD. It looked like a SWAT team out here, we had private security," Ezagui said.
The sculpture made headlines two years ago when it was vandalized down to a pile of sand and defaced with a swastika on top.
The artist agreed to return and the sculpture was later rebuilt. Ezagui said the person responsible was never found.
"It doesn't even matter who did it," Ezagui said. "We can't cower; we have to turn back bigger and greater. That's actually the message of Hanukkah."
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The sculpture will be lit in celebration of the Jewish holiday and in honor of the victims of the Australia tragedy. One of the victims, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, was a close friend of Ezagui.
"He was a father of five, he has a 2-month-old baby. He had lived in Syndey for 18 years," Ezagui said. "It's horribly sad to think that a man who dedicated his life to spreading light and love and religion was killed and murdered with 14 other people cause he refused to hide his identity."
The sculpture is surrounded by black tarp to protect it from strong winds and to prevent people from getting too close.
"Hanukkah tells us you're not going to change the world; you're not going to change yourself in one night," Ezagui said "You do a little bit every single day, consistently, over time every single one of us can make a difference. Be proud, because if you left the fear get to you you're going to let the hate win."
Ezagui said community members have reached out offering to take turns watching the sculpture to ensure it isn't damaged or vandalized.
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