The menorah at Lake Merritt in Oakland was relit on Dec. 13, 2023, after it was dismantled and thrown in the lake — an act the Jewish community called "devastating" and "unacceptable." (Photo courtesy JCRC Bay Area/Twitter)

Local groups are speaking out against the destruction of a menorah at Lake Merritt in Oakland last week that is being investigated as a hate crime.  

After the sun went down Wednesday morning last week, hundreds from all backgrounds and religions gathered at the spot and re-lit the menorah as a sign of unity. 

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Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.