Chanukah Celebration in Chicago

CHICAGO, IL [CHI] — Winding their way down Chicago’s Magnificent Mile was a convoy unlike anything shoppers were expecting. Amongst the whirl of green and reed a fifty car long procession of Menorah Topped Vehicles snaked along Downtown Chicago’s most glamorous stretch of highbrow shops and swanky cafes.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

“Every year this event gets more and more exciting, passersby, Jews and non-Jews wave encouragingly and this is the only time people honk at you when they like you”, commented Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz, regional Director of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois who have been organizing this Chanukah special since 2000.

The line of 50 cars, vans, Mom’s Taxis and even a few pick up trucks started out in the heart of Chicago’s Jewish neighborhood. The police escort led through the main roads onto scenic Lake Shore Drive. With the Drive closed off to traffic to allow the parade through; the scene was historic, Right down the center of the three lane thoroughfare the Menorahs glow reflected off Lake Michigan broadcasting its message of hope and light over might to the entire City.

The parade route concluded at Chabad of the Loop, in the heart of Chicago’s financial district. Rabbi Meir Chai Benhiyoun, director of Chabad of the Loop, Lincoln Park and Gold Coast welcomed the crowd into the lobby of the 12 story building where the children were entertained and everyone enjoyed some traditional sufganiyot. Rabbi Baruch Epstein, Rabbi of Bais Menachem led the children in the 12 Pesukim and the interested the featured entertainment “The Human Dreidel” who also made a beautiful balloon Menorah. Music was provided by Leibel Hecht and the RubberBand.

“The beauty of the car top Menorahs is that wherever you go throughout the 8 days of Chanukah you are a messenger of the Chanukah,” explained Rabbi Moscowitz. At the mall, the grocery store or even doing car pool you are fulfilling the mitzvah of pirsumei nisah, publicizing the miracle of Chanukah. The Rebbe always encourages us to be creative, to find new ways of turning the ordinary into the extraordinary; that is our mission to ignite the sparks of G-dliness in all that we do”.

Special thanks to Rabbi Yosef Shmuel Moscowitz, Associate Director of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois who coordinated the parade and to the bochurim of the Lubavitch Mesivta of Chicago who did a wonderful job of bringing the light of Chanukah to Jews throughout Illinois.