Mike Pence mocked for failed Hanukkah message

Former Vice President Mike Pence was criticized Monday after posting a tweet about Hanukkah that appeared to contain the wrong number of nights of the Jewish holiday.

“Happy Hanukkah! May the light that shines from each menorah make the world a brighter and better place. @KarenPence and I wish everyone celebrating the Festival of Lights a wonderful Hanukkah!” Pence wrote a tweet On Sunday afternoon.

The tweet included an image of a menorah that only had seven candles, but the Jewish holiday lasts eight nights.

“The seventh and eighth days of Hanukkah are a little offended,” Forward news agency Jacob Kornbluh said wrote in reply.

Shortly after Pence’s tweet, Laura E. Adkins, opinion editor at Forward, explained the difference between a menorah and a Hanukkah.

“Menorah: Typically 7 branches, used in the Temple and in the State Emblem of Israel (see below)” Adkins wrote. “Hanukkah: A 9-armed menorah used during Hanukkah. A central branch to hold the shamash (the candle you use to light the others) and 8 for the 8 days of Hanukkah.”

A number of other Twitter users also reacted to Pence’s tweet, many including criticism of the former vice president.

“Mike if you need your toes to count to eight feel free,” he wrote Twitter user Tod Goldbergwho identifies himself as a rabbi in his Twitter bio.

Twitter user Sam Hurwitt wrote“The disrespect of showing an obviously incorrect number of candles must be intentional. It takes more work to get this wrong than it is to get it right. It’s her little way of saying, ‘…but not really.'”

The American Jewish progressive activism organization IfNotNow wrote“There really is no better example of an evangelical Republican claiming to love Jews while actually using us than Mike ‘There are 6 Nights of Hanukkah’ Pence.”

Author Benjamin Dreyer wrote“So we know you don’t have any actual Jews on your social media team, good job.”

Twitter user SportsAngle joked: saying“Thanks Mike Pence! Enjoy this wonderful 6 night celebration!”

Twitter user StrangeJim wrote“D for effort. Hannukiot (plural for Hannukah candelabra) has 9 candles (8 for each night and 1 to light the other 8 – This is called Shamash, which is also the name of the man who lit the candles in the synagogue lights) By the way, this is easy to find with 2 seconds search.”

Twitter user Ken Herman wrote “Nice try. No Hanukkah candlesticks.”

news week reached out to Pence officials for comment.