Ron Agam: A time of pride and renewal

In these holidays of Hanukkah and Christmas, we are all enjoying the benefit of celebrating freedom and renewal. If there is one city in the world where a jew feels as free as he is in Israel, it’s the incredible city of New-York. Since living here for now almost 30 years, I feel like a fish in the sea. My religious freedom and my jewish identity have never been in doubt in this incredible city that has been a haven to so many different ethnicities. I think that trough my testimony, millions of New Yorkers can identify to my credo, and certainly millions of other people in the world can agree to it. Because NYC is where more people in the world want to emigrate than any other place in the face of the world.

For my family, every year for the past 25 years, NYC during the holiday has become an enormous source of pride. My father Yaacov Agam has created a Menorah that stands 32 feet high in the junction of Fifth Avenue and 59^th street, some say the center of city. So when I walk by this area ,my pride as a jew and a son is at an all time high. During the holiday tens of thousands of jews walk by this menorah and probably feel the same pride , to see the symbol of the jewish people standing tall and high in the world most important city. This Menorah was a collaboration between my Father and Chabad led by Rabbi Butman, who is now a very dear friend of mine and the family.