With the end of Hanukkah tonight, the Festival Of Lights officially comes to a close for 2015. And so, it is perhaps more than a little confusing that over the course of the Jewish holiday San Francisco City Hall was lit up not with the blue and white usually associated with Hanukkah, but rather the very-Christiany Christmas colors of red and green.
The folks at the San Francisco Chronicle found this a little odd as well, and put the question to City Administrator Naomi Kelly.
It seems that the red and green lighting display "is not for Jesus, it’s for the holiday season,” Kelly carefully explained.
“We haven’t received a request to put up lights for Hanukkah, nor have we received any complaints for not putting up lights for Hanukkah,” Kelly continued.
Ah, so City Hall only puts up lighted color schemes when people request it, is that it?
Kelly didn't want to get too far ahead of herself, however, telling the Chronicle that before any blue and while lights can be deployed for future holidays she needs to make sure it is constitutionally (ahem) kosher.
“Before I get out there to flip the switch to blue and white I need to make sure I don’t run afoul of the First Amendment or the separation of church and state."
Meanwhile, those green and red definitely-not-Christmas lights remain.
