Proposal would allow large menorah to decorate Capitol lawn alongside Christmas tree

Sarah Lehr | Lansing State Journal

LANSING — A state senator is asking the Michigan State Capitol Commission to allow a menorah to stay on the capitol lawn for the duration of the holiday season.

Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, has introduced a resolution intended to give a menorah equal billing to Michigan's giant Christmas tree.

A small menorah has decorated the Capitol lawn for years, but, because of the commission's rules for temporary exhibits, volunteers set must set up the menorah each morning before taking it down each night. Temporary exhibits like the menorah cannot be larger than 4 feet tall, 4 feet wide and 4 feet deep.

Michigan's Christmas tree, a towering state symbol for more than three decades, isn't subject to those rules.

"For many years, Jewish legislators have been looking out the window, watching a huge Christmas tree being put up while our menorah is relegated to a corner of the Capitol lawn," said Moss, who is Jewish. "The Republican majority, which claims to support freedom of religion, is only supporting one religion."

Jews light branches of the menorah, a candelabrum, during the eight-day holiday of Hanukkah.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, declined to comment on Moss' proposal.

This year, the state's Christmas tree is a 61-foot spruce from Stephenson, a small Upper Penninsula town. Workers delivered the tree to the cross-section of Capitol and East Michigan avenues in late October. The state typically takes it down in early January.

Lansing Mayor Schor will light the Capitol Christmas tree Friday at Silver Bells in the City, an annual celebration.

Schor, a former Democratic state representative, supports Moss' proposal. Lansing showcases a menorah and a Christmas tree inside City Hall.

The addition of semi-permanent exhibits, such as a menorah, on Capitol grounds must first be approved by the state legislature before being OK'd by the Michigan State Capitol Commission, said Robert Blackshaw, who oversees Capitol facilities and operations.

Temporary displays, which don't need legislative approval, have become a tradition at the Capitol during the winter holidays.

State Rep. Luke Meerman, R-Coopersville, has applied for a permit from the Capitol commission to display a Christian Nativity this year outside the Capitol beginning Dec. 10.

Meerman is following in the footsteps of former state Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, who oversaw a small Nativity before leaving the legislature at the end of 2018 due to term limits.

Self-described Satanists have made their presence known, too. For years, a Detroit Satanic chapter displayed a "Snaketivity" that featured a serpent wrapped around a cross.

The Detroit chapter is no longer active and the Snaketivity's location is unknown, said Marr Duk, media liaison for The Satanic Temple of West Michigan.

This year, the West Michigan Satanic group plans to display a straw goat head, a symbol known as Baphomet, on the capitol lawn. The structure will be similar to a goat statue, called the Star of Reconciliation, that the group unveiled in 2018.

"We're motivated by religious pluralism," Duk said. "We believe we have a right to display our values, which are togetherness ... and science over superstition."

As is the case with the Nativity, temporary exhibits like the Satanist statues are limited in size and must be disassembled each night.

Duk says no religion should be given preference over any other at the Capitol. He does not believe the state's Christmas tree is necessarily a religious symbol, however.

"In my personal opinion, Christmas trees are used in a lot of secular celebrations," Duk said. "It would be different if the tree had ornaments with religious symbols on them."

Thus far, Moss' menorah proposal appears to have stalled. Lawmakers referred the legislation to the senate's committee on government relations, but have not scheduled it for a vote.

"I'm not opposed to a menorah on the Capitol lawn," said state Sen. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, noting that menorahs are allowed under rules for temporary exhibits.

If lawmakers made an exception for a menorah, other religious displays, such as Nativities, should receive the same treatment, Barrett said.

"To me, a Christmas tree is a lot more secular than religious," he said.

Barrett also said he's concerned about opening the door for semi-permanent "non-religious displays," such as the Satanist statues, that seek to "mock religion."

Moss said he is "disappointed" GOP leaders did not act on his proposal in time for the menorah to be displayed at Silver Bells. Legislators are taking a recess, known colloquially as their "hunting break," until Nov. 30.

Nonetheless, Moss is hopeful a large menorah could be displayed in time for Hanukkah which begins Dec. 22 this year.

Contact reporter Sarah Lehr at (517) 377-1056 or slehr@lsj.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahGLehr.

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