Ravalli County Considers Placing Menorah in Front of Courthouse

This week, Ravalli County Commissioners discussed putting a menorah on public property for Hanukkah. Rabbi Barry Nash asked the commissioners for the menorah and explains his view of the meeting.

"The purpose of the meeting was to request that we have a menorah be lit in front of the courthouse, in front of the county office," Nash said. "We are a Judeo-Christian society in which we embrace each other and their beliefs and their ways... I think it's a beautiful thing to have a menorah lit in one more location. The conversation went, in my view, very well."

There was discussion about whether lawsuits might arise if the menorah was allowed or refused and also if it would be practical to open up public property to various churches during the holidays. Nash says he never considered a lawsuit

"I'm surprised that they even thought that I wanted to bring them to court," Nash said. "I have no intention at all to bring Ravalli County to court and I won't do that, even if they say no. About having it on public property There's a menorah lit, right in front of the White House every single year, there are menorah's lit on many, many public properties, and Ravalli County should be no different."

Commissioners were not prepared to open up the County Courthouse for the menorah, but a menorah will be going up at the Ravalli County fairgrounds. Nash says he will be working to bring menorahs to more Montana counties next year, including Missoula.