‘We are going to miss him a lot’: Utah’s Jewish community mourns the loss of President Holland
12/27/2025 02:01:56 PM
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Members of Utah’s Jewish community are joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in mourning the loss of President Jeffery R. Holland.
President Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints passed away at 85-years-old, shortly after 3:15 a.m. MST on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, according to church officials. He died from complications associated with kidney disease, while surrounded by his family, officials added.
Rabbi Samuel Spector told ABC4 in the wake of Holland’s death that Holland was the first member of the church to welcome him when he came to Utah in 2018 to take on the role as Rabbi of Congregation Kol Ami.
“I knew very little about the church, or even what an apostle was,” Spector said. “He was so kind and welcoming to me and taught me a lot about his faith.”
According to Spector, the church has been both a great partner and helping hand for the Jewish community. He admired Holland’s incredible passion for maintaining a relationship between the two faiths.
“He would always reach out to ask how we were doing and how antisemitism was, and if there was anything that the church could be doing to help us be safer in this town,” Spector said.
The things that Spector said he will miss most about President Holland are his sense of humor and his profound care for the welfare of the Jewish community in Utah, especially children.
“If there is ever a Latter-day Saint who bullies a kid from your community, let me know their name so I can show up at their school and have them paged over the PA system ‘Elder Holland is here to see you,” Spector recalled Holland saying. “That kid will never do that again.”
Spector added that he will miss this friendship as well as the support offered to the Jewish community by Holland’s efforts to emphasize that antisemitism goes against the teachings of the church.
“Our community sends our condolences to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Not only is this a profound loss for them, but for the whole state of Utah,” Spector said. “This is a loss for the Jewish Community as well because we lost somebody who was a very good friend and a staunch advocate for interfaith relations between our communities. We are going to miss him a lot.”
Jewish community gathered to celebrate menorah lighting in Salt Lake City
12/17/2025 10:11:23 PM
SALT LAKE CITY — On the fourth night of Hanukkah, the Jewish community gathered together to celebrate Salt Lake City’s menorah lighting.
Some arrived still stricken with grief over what happened in Australia at the start of the holiday. So we wanted to sit down with some Jewish Utahns to hear from them about how they’re feeling amid this Festival of Lights.
Maya Skurnik tells us she moved here from Israel three years ago.
“Utah’s not exactly the first place that comes to mind when you think about Jewish community in America,” said Skurnik, who now works with the United Jewish Federation of Utah. “But that’s what makes it really special, I feel like.”
Dozens from this small but tight-knit group gathered in city hall Wednesday night. Jewish leaders stood side-by-side with Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Police Chief Brian Redd and other city officials—each guided by a light that burns brighter in the face of real-world darkness.
“In the story of Hanukkah, they didn’t try to kill us,” Skurnik said. “They tried to force us to assimilate. To make us lose our identity.”
"The perpetrators of that act the other day—they want to stop Judaism,” said Rabbi Sam Spector of Congregation Kol Ami. “What all of us here are doing is we are truly fulfilling the meaning of Hanukkah.”
After the horrific attack in Australia, Skurnik says they’re privileged to gather here publicly.
“The candle lighting—that’s what it’s all about,” she added. “It’s about the privilege and the ability to be Jewish, loud and proud.”
Jews of all ages said they’re grateful for the support of city leaders and fellow Utahns.
“I feel like it’s really safe here compared to anywhere else,” said Molly Baron.
Currently attending West High School, Baron is involved in the local BBYO chapter, described as “the leading pluralistic Jewish teen movement.” She encourages others to join them in that movement.
“I think it’s really important to be a light in the darkness—and to show up for your community here in Utah and everywhere else,” said Molly Baron.
“If there are any Jewish people watching this, I hope they feel empowered to be visibly and proudly Jewish—everywhere,” Skurnik said. “Especially in Salt Lake City, where we can afford to be.”
As they stand in solidarity with fellow communities from around the world this holiday, local Jewish leaders say they are recommitted to ensuring the light of Hanukkah shines again this holiday.
Utah Jewish community celebrates Chanukah amid heightened security, concerns after Australia attack
12/15/2025 06:39:05 PM
LEHI— Utah’s Jewish community is celebrating Chanukah this week under increased security following a deadly attack at Bondi Beach in Australia.
Lehi hosted its first-ever Chanukah celebration Monday night at Thanksgiving Point, where families gathered to light the menorah.
While the Festival of Lights is typically a joyful occasion, this year began with grief and concern for many.
“Even though it’s the other side of the world, it’s painful for us,” said Rabbi Sam Spector of Congregation Kol Ami in Salt Lake City. “We need, especially in 2025 and going into 2026, to stop normalizing antisemitism. We need people to courageously and unequivocally speak out and say that this is not okay.”
Spector said Utah’s Jewish community is committed to practicing its faith despite growing threats.
“We are a bit on edge,” Spector said. “We make sure that we have security at all of our events…Since October 7th, we have seen, October 7th, 2023, that is, we have seen an increase in threats, bomb threats, violent threats, threats to our building and also just anti-Semitic hate crimes rising.”
Despite the fear, Spector and other Jewish leaders, including Rabbi Benny Zippel, encourage Utahns to join in Chanukah celebrations.
“Where we try to avoid cultural appropriation is to take somebody else’s tradition and make it your own, but if you are saying, ‘I am doing this in solidarity with my Jewish friends in celebrating one of their holidays,’ that’s completely appropriate and very meaningful,” Spector said.
Local synagogue urges action against antisemitism in wake of Australia attack
12/14/2025 12:43:47 PM
As members of the Jewish community in Utah gathered Sunday night to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah, the holiday was met with heavy hearts.
At Congregation Kol Ami on Salt Lake City’s east side, families lit candles, children laughed in a bounce house, and a holiday market filled the synagogue with energy and joy. But the celebration unfolded in the shadow of a deadly, targeted attack against Jews thousands of miles away.
Earlier in the day in Sydney, Australia, two gunmen opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, killing and injuring multiple people. Authorities say the attack was targeted.
“For us, when one Jewish community is attacked, it really is an attack on every single one of us,” said Rabbi Sam Spector of Congregation Kol Ami. “Our hearts are going out to our brothers and sisters in Australia.”
In a press release Sunday, the United Jewish Federation of Utah condemned the shooting as a "blatant act of antisemitic terror."
"Once again, Jews were targeted simply for being Jewish and for celebrating our traditions and our right to religious freedom," said CEO Alex Shapiro. "We must not ignore efforts to normalize hatred or to cloak antisemitism in political rhetoric."
Spector says attacks like the one in Australia have become disturbingly commonplace for Jewish communities worldwide.
“Unfortunately, these types of attacks have become routine,” he said. “We’re always on edge, kind of waiting and seeing who’s going to be next.”
He noted that acts of violence against Jews often coincide with major holidays.
“So often they happen during what are supposed to be really joyful holidays. It puts a damper on the festival for the rest of the week," Spector said.
“What I’ve been hearing out of Australia is that the community was basically waiting for this to happen,” he said, citing a rise in antisemitic rhetoric and behavior in recent years.
He believes that normalization is not confined to one country or political ideology.
“What we’ve seen in the last decade, but especially the last two years, is a normalization and acceptance of antisemitism in society,” Spector said. “We’ve seen it growing on both the far right and the far left.”
His message extends beyond the Jewish community.
“It’s important for people to be mindful of how their words can be construed, even if they don’t think they’re being antisemitic,” he said. “Words matter. They affect your Jewish friends and your local Jewish community.”
Despite the pain and concern, families at Congregation Kol Ami say continuing to gather and celebrate is itself an act of resilience.
Hanukkah, they say, is meant to symbolize light overcoming darkness — a message that feels especially urgent right now.
Members of Utah's Jewish community celebrate return of Israeli hostages
10/13/2025 06:50:16 AM
SALT LAKE CITY — Members of Utah's Jewish community have been celebrating the return of Israeli hostages by Hamas. In a statement, the United Jewish Federation of Utah called it a "long awaited moment of relief and unity."
Spokesperson Ron Zamir said the return of the hostages comes after a long period of dread and anxiety.
"Our community has been holding its breath for two years," Zamir said. "And hearing month over month, 'This person's alive, this person is dead,' you know, that shadow, that holding of breath was just ever present in our Israeli community and in the Jewish community."
Zamir noted there is still trepidation, particularly for the families waiting for the remains of the 24 hostages who died in captivity.
Rabbi Sam Spector of Congregation Kol Ami in Salt Lake City expressed the emotional weight of the moment.
"Every day for two years, I've worn this necklace that says, 'Our hearts are held captive in Gaza. Bring them home now,'" he said. "Today is the first morning I didn't put it on."
Spector pointed out that the weakening of Iran and its proxies indicates a larger shift toward peace in the Middle East. He expressed optimism that the deal with Hamas and the return of both hostages and Palestinian prisoners could mark the beginning of true peace in the region.
"We're seeing that Syria is wanting peace with Israel, that Indonesia, while it's not an Arab country, it wants peace with Israel, that the Lebanese are seeing that their lives are better without Hezbollah having control in their country. And so I'm very optimistic that in the years that are ahead, we might see a much more peaceful region," Spector said.
Wed, January 21 2026
3 Shevat 5786
