[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 50 (Monday, December 17, 2001)]
[Pages 1774-1775]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Lighting the Hanukkah Menorah and an Exchange With Reporters

December 10, 2001

    The President. Tonight, for the first time in American history, a 
Hanukkah menorah will be lit at the White House Residence. It's a symbol 
that this house may be a temporary home for Laura and me, but it's the 
people's house, and it belongs to people of all faiths.
    The magnificent menorah before us was crafted over a century ago in 
the city of Lvov, which was an important center of Jewish life and 
culture. The Jews of Lvov fell victim to the horror of the Nazi 
Holocaust, but their great menorah survived. And as God promised 
Abraham, the people of Israel still live.
    This has been a year of much sadness in the United States and for 
our friends in Israel. America and Israel have been through much 
together; this year we have grieved together. But as we watch the 
lighting of this second candle of Hanukkah, we're reminded of the 
ancient story of Israel's courage and of the power of faith to make the 
darkness bright. We can see the heroic spirit of the Maccabees lives on 
in Israel today, and we trust that a better day is coming, when this 
festival of freedom will be celebrated in a world free from terror.
    Laura and I wish all the people of Jewish faith in America and 
Israel and around the world many joyous Hanukkahs in the years ahead.
    And all right, now we call on young Talia to help us light the 
candles. Thank you so much for being here.

[At this point, 8-year-old Talia Lefkowitz, daughter of Office of 
Management and Budget General Counsel Jay P. Lefkowitz, lit the menorah 
and sang a Hebrew prayer. The President and First Lady Laura Bush then 
presented gifts to the children in attendance.]

    The President. It's great to see everybody. Thanks for coming to the 
White House.

Videotape of Usama bin Laden

    Q. Sir, on this occasion of peace and celebration, can you tell us 
how you were struck by this bin Laden videotape?
    The President. It just reminded me of what a murderer he is and how 
right and just our cause is.
    I couldn't imagine somebody like Usama bin Laden understanding the 
joy of Hanukkah or the joy of Christmas or celebrating peace and hope. 
This man wants to destroy any semblance of civilization for his own 
power and his own good. He's so evil that

[[Page 1775]]

he's willing to send young men to commit suicide while he hides in 
caves.
    And while we celebrate peace and lightness, I fully understand in 
order to make sure peace and lightness exist in the future, we must 
bring him to justice. And we will.
    But for those who see this tape, they'll realize that not only is he 
guilty of incredible murder, he has no conscience and no soul; that he 
represents the worst of civilization.

Note: The President spoke at 5 p.m. in the Bookseller's Area at the 
White House. In his remarks, he referred to Usama bin Laden, leader of 
the Al Qaida terrorist organization.