Here in Highland Park, IL we stand w Jewish communities in Australia & around the world & with all those who are mourning or struggling to make sense of violence and loss. May the lights kindled this week serve not as a denial of pain, but as a quiet affirmation of compassion & our shared humanity.

Chanukah is often described as a celebration of light, but it is also a reminder of resilience. It is a time to choose hope when darkness feels close. It is a time of showing up for one another even when joy feels complicated.

The news that the remaining living hostages have been released brings a profound sense of relief and gratitude. May peace, healing, and compassion guide all of us in the days ahead.

As a community that knows the deep pain of senseless violence, Highland Park stands with you. We mourn with you. And we echo your calls for action. Our children deserve better. We all do. #Enough

Schools should be places of safety, joy, and learning. Children should not have to live in fear and neither should their parents, teachers, or communities. This is not how we are meant to live.

Work requirements imposed in Arkansas, did not increase employment. In fact, there’s reason to believe that they could hurt employment. That’s because when you take away people’s health insurance, their otherwise manageable health conditions turn into unmanageable work barriers.