As we celebrate the Festival of Lights this week, we pause to remember how solidarity has provided a lot of light to us during this difficult year. As we retell the Hanukkah story of the Maccabees’ miraculous victory against all odds, we pause to remember all the ways our unity helped our labor movement to overcome the challenges that 2020 put before us.

As we share eight days and nights of gifts and chocolate gelt, let’s remember how – together – we put food on the table for union members in need because of the pandemic, and how we rededicated ourselves to our treasured union values through our many volunteer efforts.

This year, more than ever, the Spirit of Labor and the Spirit of Hanukkah are one and the same.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO wishes our sisters and brothers light, joy, miracles, triumphs and blessings! Happy Hanukkah!