Rabbi speaks out after Virginia festival denies menorah ceremony over war in Israel: 'Un-American'

A Virginia rabbi spoke out after a local street fair denied his request to hold a menorah lighting in honor of Hanukkah, arguing the organizers are unfairly aligning the annual Jewish tradition with the war in Gaza.

Rabbi Mendy Heber wanted to hold the annual celebration at Williamsburg's 2nd Sundays Art and Music Festival, but organizers denied his request over concerns it would look like the event was "choosing a side" in the war against Hamas.

The organization publicly claimed the denial was because it does not permit religious celebrations, but Heber said organizers privately admitted they could allow the event if an Islamic group was also included.

"It seems like they see it is that a Jew is responsible for other people's actions," Heber said during "America's Newsroom" on Thursday. "Hanukkah is the message of victory over 2000 years ago and the time of the Holy Temple and also the kindling of the menorah with the oil that lasted for eight days, and perhaps people try to connect it to the modern world."

"The modern-day fight that's going on in Gaza… that is not the message of Hanukkah," he continued. "So to connect those two is un-American. It's what we feel [is] discriminatory."

Heber said he received a private text message from the event organizer who said: "Unless we could get an Islamic group to participate at the same time. We are about Peace, Love & light... don't want to make it seem we're choosing a side - supporting the killing/bombing of thousands of men, women and children."