BERNARDS, NJ — By now, the 18-foot-tall Hanukkah dreidel that appears each December on the corner of the busy intersection of Valley Road and King George Road has become a local landmark.
18-Foot Dreidel at Chabad House Nearly a Bernards Holiday Landmark
BERNARDS, NJ — By now, the 18-foot-tall Hanukkah dreidel that appears each December on the corner of the busy intersection of Valley Road and King George Road has become a local landmark.
The colorful wooden dreidel, an enlarged version of the traditional children’s spinning top used during the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, has been erected every holiday season for 12 years at the Chabad Jewish Center in the Basking Ridge section of the township.
Rabbi Yitzchok Moully said his research shows the Jewish center’s dreidel probably is the world’s largest.
The dreidel was built by students at the Rabbinical College of America in Morristown. It was constructed to be assembled and disassembled for storage each year.
About six volunteers showed up on a chilly morning Saturday, Dec. 6, to put together the pieces at the edge of Chabad’s property. The display also is visible to drivers along King George Road.
The dreidel, roughly eight feet wide, has a door that can be opened to a little room inside. Moully said the room is empty this year, but he would like to see it stocked with books and toy dreidels.
The dreidel is used as part of the Hanukkah curriculum at the center’s Zimmer preschool and Chabad Hebrew School. Moully said children from both schools and the community are invited inside to learn about the dreidel and its story.
“Stop by any time for a peek in the dreidel, and take home your very own minidreidel,” he said.
A dreidel is a spinning top traditionally associated with the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah that celebrates the victory of a small Jewish army over their oppressors.
The Chabad center also is throwing a Hanukkah party from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 24, the third day of the eight-day Hannukah celebration.
For the first time this year, Moully said the families at the party are invited to construct a holiday menorah made of Lego pieces. A menorah is a holder for eight candles lighted during each night of Hanukkah.
Moully said the families each will be given a section to complete; the goal is to make the menorah as large as possible before it is lighted that evening. The Lego menorah will be taken apart later that night, he said.
A second party for adults will begin at 7 p.m. that night, he said.
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About six volunteers showed up on a chilly morning Saturday, Dec. 6, to put together the pieces at the edge of Chabad’s property
how can they put it togeter on morning Saturday it’s shabbos i think u ment sunday
wow
wow go basking ridge wow