For eight feverish nights and days, L’Chaim-Chabad rabbis and volunteers made their way from hospital to senior home, community centre to quiet street corner, house to prison cell, in an effort to bring the light of Chanukah to all Manchester Jews.
In Skokie, IL, they sent Chanukah care packages to IDF soldiers; in Sunrise, FL, they skated with NHL’s Florida Panthers; and in Tenafly, NJ, they rode Menorah-topped limousines; they were some of the regional Chanukah celebrations run by the Jewish teen club, CTeen.
On the second night of Chanukah, Yeshivah Bais Menachem illuminated downtown Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania with a special public menorah lighting. The public menorah lighting and party were arranged in large part by students and shluchim, building a beautiful new 12 foot menorah, playing music and providing energy for all in attendance.
I knew this would be one of my more challenging assignments–writing while driving in Chabad’s Chanukah Car Parade (texting while driving is illegal, but what about writing?). I practically had to memorize those simultaneous euphoric and emotion-filled feelings I felt while joining the 65-car motorcade.
Israelis who were on the streets during Hanukkah likely saw the Chabad ‘mitzvah tanks’, which have become well known on Israel’s streets for their successful activities aimed at bringing the Torah and its commandments closer to people.
In the city of Bariloche, Argentina, Chabad’s southernmost outpost on earth, Chanukah is celebrated with a special energy and light.
Aliya’s grand Chanuakh concert, which featured 6 bands – many their own members, was extremely uplifting.
Tuesday night, the tireless and dedicated Released Time instructors concluded their visits to the homes of their students, bringing the joy and beauty of Chanukah not just to the students who attend their classes, but to their entire family. In total, more than 700 families were visited.
On the 3rd night of Chanukah, Chabad held it’s first ever public menorah lighting at the Islington Green. Over one hundred participants enjoyed potato latkes, doughnuts and hot cocoa in a family friendly atmosphere.
In a rare occurrence among student tours of the Holy Land, a group of 23 American Jewish college students brought some Chanukah joy to a secretive Israeli army base near the Lebanese border. Bearing candles and the traditional fried jelly doughnuts known in Hebrew as sufganiyot, the participants of the IsraeLinks program joined their uniformed counterparts for dinner and a mass menorah lighting that, in the words of one soldier, gave his platoon “the strength to go on.”
The boys of the Lubavitch Boys’ School in London enjoyed three beautiful Chanuka programs before they broke up for their winter holidays.
This year, once again, over one thousand people attended the annual menorah lighting in Amsterdam’s Dam Square; located in front of the royal palace, it is the most famous square in Holland.
Bris Avrohom continues their busy holiday of Chanukah with events throughout the area for young and old alike. Rabbi Mordechai Kanelsky, Executive Director of Bris Avrohom and his staff lit menorahs on the Goethals Bridge, Bayonne Bridge and Outerbridge Crossing with administrators of the Port Authority of NY and NJ. This is an annual event which publicizes the miracle of Chanukah to millions of people who cross these bridges over the eight days of Chanukah.
The annual Cheder at the Ohel Chanukah Carnival was another smashing success!
Over 3,000 people visited the Queens Chanukah Experience, run by Chabad of Eastern Queens.
Adding the light of Chanukah not only every night but every year! This year there were more public menorah lightings in Kharkov, Ukraine then ever before.
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