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Chanukah Celebration

by Neighborhood-Kids.com12/11/2007 2:31:16 PM

Menorah lighting in Fairhaven.

On Sunday, December 9, 2007, at 4:30 PM, just after sunset, the Chabad Jewish Community Center organized a community-wide Chanukah celebration that commemorated the holiday with the lighting of a 6-foot tall menorah on the Fairhaven Village Green. The evening began with Rabbi Levi Backman’s introduction of this year’s honored guest, Superior Court Judge Charles Snyder, who spoke about the opportunity to worship and believe as we wish in this country. “There is no state religion in the Constitution, but we are also guaranteed that no faith will be denied in America,” he reminded those gathered for the event. “This menorah is a symbol of hope, of faith, and of love for our fellow man.”

 Rabbi Backman and his son Meir.

Following Judge Snyder’s words, Rabbi Backman began the menorah lighting ceremony by telling the story of the Maccabees and the origins of Chanukah. The traditions of Chanukah go back over two thousand years ago, when the Greco-Syrian King Antiochus Epiphanes forbade the Jewish people from practicing their religious traditions.  Against all odds, the small army of Maccabees (leaders of the Jewish resistance) defeated the Greek-Syrian army. When they returned to the Holy Temple, there was only enough oil to light the Temple’s menorah for one day, but it lasted for eight days. To celebrate this miracle, a traditional menorah has eight Chanukah candles and one “Shamash” candle, which is used to light the other candles. One Chanukah candle is lit for each night of celebration.

 Making sand art at the Chanukah party.

As Sunday marked the sixth night of Chanukah, Judge Snyder used the “Shamash” candle to light six menorah candles with the aid of other local honored guests. After the lighting ceremony, two kantors led the crowd in two traditional Hebrew songs, “Maoz Tzu” (“Rock of Ages”) and “Haneiros Halolu” (“We Kindle These Lights”), and a popular children’s song in English, “O Chanukah.”

After the ceremony, Rabbi Backman once again thanked the evening’s candle lighters, as well as everyone in the community who came to celebrate Chanukah together. “The most important lesson we can learn from the Chanukah story is that every single person should be who they are because God made you perfect and that’s who you should be,” he said before inviting the crowd to the Fairhaven Library to get warm and enjoy more Chanukah festivities.

 Kids playing Dreidel at the Chanukah party.

In the Fairhaven Library Auditorium, Chanukah music played while people mingled and enjoyed hot latkas (potato pancakes) and sufganiot (jelly-filled doughnuts). Kids were invited to make Chanukah crafts using sand art and to play Dreidel, a traditional Chanukah game that’s easy to learn and fun to play.