Governor Schwarzenegger To Join Chabad For “A Chanukah Of Friendship”

Los Angeles, CA — On December 14, Chabad representatives will join Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in Sacramento to illuminate the Capitol Menorah as part of the organization’s annual Chanukah celebration. The Governor will address the holiday gathering to commemorate “A Chanukah of Friendship.”

This year, the Capitol Menorah is being painted by members of Chabad’s Friendship Circle — a program matching teen volunteers and children with special needs. These children from across California will be on hand as the Menorah is illuminated and a universal message of caring is delivered to the state.

The celebration will take place at 5:00 p.m. on the steps of the Capitol.

“It’s always wonderful to celebrate the holiday with our Governor and see the Menorah shining at the State Capitol,” said Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, head of Chabad of California. “And this year will be especially meaningful as we include these beautiful children from the Friendship Circle to promote ‘A Chanukah of Friendship.’”

Nine local chapters of Chabad’s Friendship Circle will be represented at the event in Sacramento. In each chapter, the volunteers and special needs children are now painting their own branch of the Capitol Menorah following the design of Los Angeles artist Marc Lumer; these painted branches will then be assembled for the December 14 celebration.

Participating Friendship Circle chapters include Los Angeles, S. Francisco, S. Diego, Agoura, Manhattan Beach, Newport Beach, Palo Alto, S. Mateo, and Studio City.