[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 51 (Monday, December 22, 1997)]
[Pages 2076-2077]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message on the Observance of Hanukkah, 1997

December 18, 1997

    Warm greetings to everyone celebrating Hanukkah.
    The Festival of Lights is a powerful reminder each year that the 
age-old struggle for religious freedom is not yet over. From the days of 
the ancient Maccabees down to our present time, tyrants have sought to 
deny people the free expression of their faith and the right to live 
according to their own conscience and convictions. Hanukkah symbolizes 
the heroic struggle of all who seek to defeat such oppression and the 
miracles that come to those full of faith and courage. This holiday 
holds special meaning for us in America, where freedom of religion is 
one of the cornerstones of our democracy.
    The coming year will mark the 50th anniversary of the State of 
Israel, where the story of the first Hanukkah took place so many 
centuries ago. As families come together in prayer for the eight nights 
of Hanukkah, to reaffirm their hope in God and their gratitude for His 
faithfulness to His people, may the candles of the menorah light our way 
to a true and lasting peace for the people of the Middle East.
    Hillary and I extend our warmest wishes to all those celebrating 
Hanukkah, all those who work for religious freedom, and all those who 
devote themselves to the cause of peace throughout the world.
                                                  Bill Clinton

[[Page 2077]]