This past Monday evening, Chabad Of WeHo West hosted a grand community Hanukkah Menorah lighting at the corner La Cienega Blvd and Melrose Ave. The Hanukkah celebration featured live music, donuts, latkes and other Hanukkah treats. Complimentary Hanukkah menorahs and candles were distributed for participants to light at home.
The highlight of the evening was a Gelt drop led by the West Hollywood Fire Department. Silver and gold chocolate coins rained down from the top of a fire truck ladder to the delight of the many children gathered to celebrate Hanukkah!
“Everyone is especially excited about Hanukkah this year,” said Yossi Dalfin, Rabbi of Chabad Of WeHo West. “ The Lubavitcher Rebbe teaches us a pertinent lesson we can learn from the Hanukkah lights. ‘A little light dispels much darkness’, by us lighting the Menorah as well as adding in spiritual light from acts of goodness and kindness, we will certainly bring the world to a better, brighter place and usher in the time of Moshiach.”
Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, began this year on the evening of Sunday, November 28 and concludes the evening of Monday, December 6. It recalls the victory of a militarily weak Jewish people who defeated the Syrian-Greeks who had overrun ancient Israel and sought to impose restrictions on the Jewish way of life and prohibit religious freedom. They also desecrated and defiled the Temple and the oils prepared for the lighting of the menorah, which was part of the daily service. Upon recapturing the Temple only one jar of undefiled oil was found, enough to burn only one day, but it lasted miraculously for eight. In commemoration, Jews celebrate Hanukkah for eight days by lighting an eight-branched candelabrum known as a menorah. Today, people of all faiths consider the holiday a symbol and message of the triumph of freedom over oppression, of spirit over matter, of light over darkness.
Chabad Of WeHO West offers Jewish education, outreach, and social service programming for families and individuals of all ages, backgrounds and affiliations. For more information call (310) 594 – 9441 or visit www.ChabadWeHoWest.com
I like how they lit it with a Charlottesville style tiki torch to take the imagery away from the neo nazis 🙂
Happy Hanukkah.