Hanukkah celebrations across the Bay Area on Sunday took place under the shadow of a mass shooting in Australia, leaving many Jewish families on high alert but determined not to let violence stop them from coming together.

One of the largest celebrations was held in San Francisco's Union Square, where organizers were joined by Mayor Daniel Lurie and his father, Rabbi Brian Lurie, to light the menorah. Police were present in large numbers to ensure safety, reflecting concerns about global events impacting local communities.

"Our hearts are heavy right now. My dear friend, Rabbi Eli Schlanger, was gunned down in cold blood at a Hanukkah event in Sydney. We're just heartbroken," said Rabbi Moshe Langer of Chabad of San Francisco, who organized the Union Square event.

Despite the tragedy, Rabbi Langer stressed the importance of standing up against hate. 

"The people that murdered him, they were trying to snuff that out, they were trying to wipe the joy of our tradition out," he said.

At other celebrations, including one in Piedmont, attendees said the joy and light of the holiday felt a little dimmer following the shooting. Alan Edelstein, who cheered on his granddaughters as they sang, expressed concern about the world his grandchildren are growing up in.

"I see, thankfully, we have the police here. But do other communities, other religious groups, other ethnic groups, when they get together, have to have police guards? But sadly, Jews in America need to have that now. Jews all over the world need to have that now," Edelstein said.

Edelstein also called for unity in the face of tragedy. 

"I personally hope other communities would join us, non-Jews would join us in standing up for light, and for freedom, and for peace," he said. 

His son, Jason Edelstein, emphasized the importance of community in times of grief. 

"We do not want to feel isolated or alone. We want our fellow community members to be with us, in community," he said.

Rabbi Mark Bloom of Temple Beth Abraham of Oakland, who once served as a rabbi in Sydney in the late 1990s, said he still feels a deep connection to the Jewish community in Australia. 

"I did talk to one person, she gave me a list of names to pray for, people who were injured and wounded," he said. 

Rabbi Bloom stressed that love and light must prevail. 

"Love has to win out over hate," Bloom said. "It's almost as simple as that. But coinciding with that, this is very much Hanukkah — light always has to overtake darkness."

Across the Bay Area, many attendees said the shooting did not deter them. If anything, it inspired them to come out in even greater numbers to celebrate their tradition and heritage.

Hanukkah, which symbolizes freedom and the triumph of light over darkness, remains a time for reflection, community, and resilience — even in the wake of tragedy.