Mumbai Massacre Remembered in San Clemente During Chanukah

SAN CLEMENTE, CA — As children played with slivers of ice this afternoon on the Community Center lawn, a sculptor placed final touches on a 6-foot menorah made of ice.

It prompted Rabbi Mendel Slavin to remind close to 200 people that warmth can answer cold, that light can answer darkness.

Chabad Jewish Center of San Clemente chose a menorah carved of ice as a fitting way to open this season’s eight-day festival of lights known as Hanukkah.

San Clemente resident Dan Feinberg lit the first candle as a call to others of the Jewish faith to light successive candles on a menorah in their own homes each of the next eight nights. The faithful also are asked to spread light by dedicating themselves to doing good deeds.

Chabad San Clemente held the Hanukkah ceremony in memory of more than 200 innocent victims of last month’s terrorist massacre in Mumbai, India. The terror resonated here, as Mumbai’s Chabad Center was attacked and the rabbi and his wife killed.

The festival of lights is about answering senseless hatred with unconditional love, Rabbi Slavin said.

“Every light, every candle counts when we’re in a world that’s full of ice-coldness and people that want to hurt people, and terrorism,” he said. “It’s good to have a light amongst that ice. We’re going to fight back with good deeds. We’re adding more light to the world. It’s like, when you have a dark, dark room, you light one candle and one light pushes away a lot of darkness. That’s what we’re striving to do.”

Sharon Naiman, a participant from San Juan Capistrano, was impressed with the 6-foot ice menorah and the message.

“I’ve never seen an ice sculpture that large,” she said. “It’s a wonderful time to reflect on past traditions and look forward to a year of peace all over the world and hope that the lights from the menorah will light up the world.”

Feinberg said it’s a hopeful sign that the dates for Hanukkah and Christmas are at the same time this year. “I have many Christian friends and colleagues,” he said, “and when they wish me Merry Christmas, I consider it an honor. I wish them Happy Hanukkah back.”

Mayor Lori Donchak and former San Clemente Councilman Steve Knoblock addressed the crowd, wishing everyone well at Hanukkah. “A time of family,” Donchak called it. “A time of happiness.”