The Marriott Hotel Celebrates Chanukah

BROOKLYN, NY [CHI] — The Marriott Hotels at the Brooklyn Bridge has joined the ranks of the hundreds upon hundreds of venues that sponsor a public Chanukah menorah lighting ceremony.

This year’s event took place on Wednesday evening, the second night of Chanukah in the hotels grand lobby. The Marriott Hotel at the Brooklyn Bridge has the distinct honor of being the former home to the International Conference of the Chabad-Lubavitch Shluchim and the current home of the International Conference of Shluchos.

This year’s conference, to be held on Sunday January 27, 2008 will attract close to 2,500 Shluchos and their guests from all four corners of the world.

Rabbi Lipa Brennan, coordinator of the conferences, introduced the event by explaining the historical significance of the festival of lights. He encouraged the many hotel employees and guests to heed the universal message of Chanukah, and to become pro active in the mission of the day; which is to increase in acts of goodness and kindness. Rabbi Brennan went on to explain that we should add one good deed at a time, just as we increase the daily Chanukah candles. In doing so, we elevate the world to a higher spiritual level to be worthy of the coming of Moshiach.

Rabbi Brennan was joined by Mr. Sam Abraham, the General Manager of the hotel and Diana Shapiro, director of catering, both close friends of the Chabad Lubavitch organization.

Mr. Abraham said he was proud, on behalf of the Marriott chain of hotels, to sponsor this yearly event and hopes to sponsor many more events in the years to come.

After the lighting ceremony, all the guests were invited to partake of the Chanukah doughnuts and refreshments.