In this week’s “Mishpacha” Magazine an article was published about the organization and some of its history. You can click on the image of the article to get a larger and clearer view. The rest of it is in the Extended Article.
Tug of holidays
It is during the holiday season, more than any other time throughout the course of the year, that we feel what it means to be an outsider in American society. This year, for the first time in forty six years Christmas and the Solar New Year coincide with the Jewish festival of lights, Chanukah. And although we always feel that the Christian holidays coincide with Chanukah annually, this is only because for reasons unknown to myself, Christmas seems to last for an entire month and a half while Chanukah begins with the first day and ends on the eighth, without the three weeks before and two weeks after of pre and post but still holiday season excuses for partying.
This weekend, more than any other of the year, we Jews will feel the strain of two forces tugging on us: 1) Chanukah and Shabbat (The ultimate combination of light) – and 2) New Year’s Eve; forcing us to in the very least contemplate what we are celebrating: our Judaism or our secularity?
The now official “Worlds Largest Menorah” was recognized this year by the Guinness World Records as the official Worlds Largest Menorah standing at 32 feet tall and 26 feet wide. The Menorah which is lit every night of Chanukah at Grand Army Plaza on 59th and 5th in Manhattan since the late 1970’s, had the people from the book of records come to the Menorah and measure it and present the certificate to the son of the Menorah’s designer Yaakov Agam and to the Lubavitch Youth Organization.
This Menorah sat in model size on the Rebbes desk before being approved of by the Rebbe and only then was it built to its present dimensions.
More pictures in the Extended Article.
Over 1000 Boys and Girls showed up the Chanukah Rally in 770. Rabbi Shimon Hecht MC’ed the event that was arranged by R. Shimi Weinbaum of the international Tzivos Hashem. The children recited the 12 Pesukim, Davened Mincha, enjoyed donuts and drinks, watched a play about the Chashmonaim and a video of the Rebbe speaking about Chanukah. The rally concluded with R. Moshe Teleshevsky lit the candles and sang ‘Haneiros Halalu’ with the children.
More Pictures in the Extended Article!
40
