the hanukkiah is often displayed in public around hanukkah time in december. elected officials often participate in publicly lighting the hanukkiah. the chabad-lubavitch movement is well associated with public lighting ceremonies, which it has done since a directive from their last rebbe, menachem mendel schneerson, in 1987. in the book "a kosher christmas: 'tis the season to be jewish", author rabbi joshua plaut, ph.d. details the history of public displays of the hanukkiah across the united states, summarizes the court cases associated with this issue, and explains how presidents of the united states came to embrace lighting the hanukkiah during hanukkah.