A new menorah was erected Saturday morning at the Chabad House at San Diego State University, just days before the start of Hanukkah.
This comes after the previous menorah at the hub for Jewish student life and community, located along Montezuma Road, was vandalized and destroyed in March.
The new, roughly 20-foot-tall menorah is made of steel and cost thousands of dollars.
The effort was entirely community-funded with the help of Barry Soper, an award-winning author who helped get the ball rolling.
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"It's all about lightness over darkness, and that's what we want to create. Love over hate, that's what it's all about," Soper said. "It's going to shine. It'll be beautiful lighting, and I think you'll be able to see it from San Diego State University."
The timing, according to Soper, couldn't have been better. With the conflict between Israel and Hamas raging along the Gaza Strip, Soper said people are as confused and divided as ever.
"It's frightening for a lot of Jewish people or Palestinians," Soper said.
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Soper, who is Jewish, reached out to the rabbi at the Chabad House when he learned that the previous menorah was vandalized. From there, Soper reached out to his old friend, Jim Mady, who owns San Diego Construction Solutions.
"Barry and I had become good friends over the years, and he had called me in a bind," Mady said.
Mady called up his old construction crew, and they all volunteered Saturday morning to install the new menorah. He also covered a portion of the construction costs.
The Chabad House is planning a rally on Thursday, Dec. 7, when the menorah will be lit up to mark the first day of Hanukkah.
