Diversity and Inclusion panel’s menorah recommendation on consent; council OKs funding authorization

Sasha Aber, a Diversity and Inclusion Commission member, asked the City Council on May 12 to adopt two commission recommendations on the consent agenda: add a menorah to the city’s Academy Lawn holiday display and authorize up to $600 from the WinterFest budget (or another applicable line) to fund a 6-foot menorah if private donations did not fully cover the purchase by Oct. 1, 2025. Aber told council she had nearly raised the required amount privately and that the city solicitor had reviewed the legal question.

“A recommendation is to include a menorah in the holiday display and to adopt a policy to include additional displays at the request of other groups in accordance with the rulings in the Third Circuit,” Aber said during public comment. She also said the city solicitor had reviewed the legal question and that the commission’s recommendation was consistent with court rulings on secular public displays.

The commission’s items appeared on the consent agenda (items 3D and 3E). Council approved the full consent agenda 6-0; the consent motion included receipt of the Diversity and Inclusion Commission recommendation to include a menorah and the funding-authorization recommendation.

Council members discussed logistics and asked staff to place a formal discussion item on a future agenda if needed to finalize display logistics. Aber told council she would work with staff on placement and storage. The council did not revise city policy at the meeting; it accepted the commission’s recommendations as part of the consent agenda and approved the funding-authorization language included in staff materials.