I think the rabbi say the tree while passing through the airport, when the thought occurred to him, that Jews should have a symbol that had meaning to them included. I don't think this was planned out months before as some legal wait and pounce strategy. The guy just reacted to his impulse. I have been in GOP affiliated group political meetings when there was a prayer offered at some point that invoked Jesus Christ as our savior. It made this near atheist secular cultural WASP uncomfortable. It was not inclusive. Did I speak up? No. But I winced. It was a tin ear thing I thought at the time. Can you relate to that at all?
By the way, as a codicil, I love holiday trees, xmas trees, whatever. They remind me of my feckless youth, and the good times I had, and the goodies under it. They don't make me wince at all. It is a part of my culture! But not some others, and I understand that.