Saluting Hanukkah, Biden Says Menorah Shows 'There Is Still Light' to Overcome Darkness

President Joe Biden commemorated the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah at the White House on Wednesday, stating that the lighting of the menorah showed that there was "still light" in America even through dark times.

Biden was joined at the festivities by first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. The candle-lighting ceremony took place on the fourth of Hanukkah's eight nights.

"When we light this menorah in the White House, when Jewish families place menorahs in their windows, we are proclaiming liberty and showing that there is still light," Biden stated at the ceremony. "That little bit of light, wherever it is found, can dispel the darkness and illuminate a path forward."

The president appeared to be alluding to the message of moving forward together, something that he has tried to embrace throughout his first year in office. He also noted that rabbis have described the U.S. as a "great nation of kindness."

"The Hanukkah story provides a powerful lesson and nourishes a wellspring of hope. In darkness, there's light; in cynicism, there's hope and optimism," the president continued.

Biden's remarks come as antisemitic incidents continue to occur more regularly across the country, and across the world as a whole.

Biden also lauded the presence at the candle lighting of the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog, who began serving in his position on November 15.

"Ambassador, I look forward to working with you to reaffirm the longstanding ties between the United States and the State of Israel," Biden told Herzog.

Further speeches were also given during the ceremony by Harris, Emhoff and Jill Biden.

The first lady stated that "on the fourth night of Hanukkah, we see the miracle of light, both on our candles and in our communities."

This sentiment was echoed by Harris, who added that the holiday represented a number of stories for the American people. Harris said that this included "the power of the people, the possibility of the future."

"That even in despair, there is hope," she added.

Additionally, Emhoff, who is the first Jewish spouse of a U.S. president or vice president, noted the historical element to his presence at the ceremony while also acknowledging the common values of Jewish Americans.

"Our history, our values as Jews, are an essential part of who we are as Americans. Jewish values are American values, and I believe this deeply," Emhoff said.

Also seen at the festivities were a number of Jewish community leaders as well as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who helped light the menorah.

The menorah used in the ceremony was on loan from the National Museum of American Jewish History and had been designed by a Holocaust survivor, according to the White House.

President Biden's lighting of the menorah continues a tradition that dates to at least 2001, when the first official Hanukkah party at the White House was held under former President George W. Bush.

However, former President Jimmy Carter was the first to officially acknowledge the holiday when he lit the National Menorah in 1979.

Newsweek has reached out to the White House for comment.