As already reported the Downtown Development Authority in Ft. Collins, Colorado has refused to include a Chanukah Menorah in public holiday displays but does allow a Christmas tree display. The members of the municipality claim that they only allow secular symbols and a Christmas tree is a secular symbol but not a Menorah.

The City Council also insists that the Menorah is not a secular symbol although the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a Chanukah menorah can be a secular symbol in such settings

DDA Executive Director Chip Steiner told the Chabad emissary in Ft. Collins, Rabbi Yerachmiel Gorelick: "It's an honest, simple and difficult decision they've reached. It's not meant to be exclusive. But Gorelick says "it all boils down to one thing a Christmas tree yes but a Chanukah menorah no. They don’t want Ft. Collins to be a healthy diverse community."

Yesterday, in what some consider a “slap in the face of the city,” Republican U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard of Colorado announced that he will participate in the Chanukah Menorah lighting event organized by Chabad of Ft. Collins

Allard will join the Jewish leaders and Mayor Doug Hutchinson in the lighting of the menorah on Dec. 21, in recognition of the annual eight-day Hanukkah celebration that begins the night of Dec. 15.

Allard's spokeswoman said he is not taking a stand on the city's policy. But Rabbi  Gorelik told Shturem.net that Allard's participation sends a strong message to Fort Collins leaders that they are failing to acknowledge the diversity of faith in the city.

"We've been trying to bring recognition that there are people who celebrate the holiday season a different way," Gorelik said. "And the city has not been helping me do that."

Gorelik said, "if Chanukah is good enough for the senator, then it should be good enough for the city council."

Gorelik is permitted to light the Menorah in Old Town Fort Collins on Dec. 21 and then move it to a local pub. Allard, Gorelik said, probably recognizes that the menorah is part of a mainstream celebration of the holidays.

Shturem.net spoke to Rabbi Gorelik this week about the controversy in Ft. Collins and he said he hopes the DDA will change its mind but as things look right now they are still resisting.

Q. Rabbi Gorelik, one of the main tenets in the lighting of the Chanukah Menorah is the publicity of the miracle that occurred to the Jewish people in the time of the Temple. It seems that the town’s resistance by not allowing you to display the Chanukah Menorah for eight days has brought more publicity to the cause than if things would have gone smoothly and they would not have resisted?

Rabbi Gorelik: Oh yes definitely. Last year I had a record crowd of 400 people in this town because of their resistance and now I’m sure there will be much more than that. It’s been amazing but I get the flack too, it’s not easy.

Politically, I have exhausted all avenues and now the only thing left for me to do is to go to court. But I haven’t decided in principle whether to go to court or not.

Why not? So far the court in all such cases has ruled in favor of the Menorah display.

Well, first of all even I do go to court, it’s for the Chanukah display next year. This year it’s too late. They were very clever, they waited to give me the final reply until the last minute. The city decided against it in July but the DDA gave me the final decision only last week.

Secondly, I do not know if the Rebbe wanted us to go on the offensive as opposed to defensive. For the most part until now Lubavitch went to court to defend the Menorah, like if a Menorah was there and they tried to take it down etc. But I am permitted to light the Menorah, it’s just that after the ceremony I have to remove it. I can also place it on private property overlooking public property. I will probably discuss it with Rabbi Krinsky before I make a final decision on the matter.

The Rebbe wanted to avoid dispute. It’s a small town and it can cause more damage by winning.

Have you suffered anti-semitic attacks as a result of this controversy?

No, on the contrary, I have more support from the Christians than from the Jews. I’m lucky the mayor is on my side but the Council has been fighting me tooth and nail.

Why are they so much against it when they see the majority is for it?

 The leadership here is very small headed. It’s the same leadership for the past thrity years who are afraid of change. I told the mayor you have to take these guys out they should see the world. There are Menorahs all over the country.

Is Senator Allard coming to show he’s supporting you in your fight against the city?

I wouldn’t say he’s coming to show support against anyone. But there is no question that it is a huge slap in the face of the city. I have the mayor of the city, Doug Hutchinson, supporting me and now the senator on that level who hardly appears in any events only in very special occasions.

I must say the city is really pushing me into a corner. Now they came up with a new claim. They say that they discovered that the property is not public but is really theirs, privately owned. They are looking for problems and are pushing me into a corner of this patio.

Click here to listen to Rabbi Gorelik being interviewed on Denver Talk Station

The following are pictures of last year's Menorah lighting in Ft. Collins: