CHABAD CENTER ignited a public 8FT Hanukkah menorah erected at Holliston Town Hall, followed by a community-wide celebration on Monday Nov. 29, the 2nd night of the eight-day holiday.

 The ceremony, organized by Chabad Rabbi Mendy Kivman, featured community leaders lighting the Menorah.  Following the menorah lighting ceremony, those gathered danced, sang and ate the traditional latkes and donuts!

“The menorah serves as a symbol of Holliston’s dedication to preserve and encourage the right and liberty of all its citizens to worship G d freely, openly, and with pride. This is true especially in America, a nation that was founded upon and vigorously protects the right of every person to practice his or her religion free from restraint and persecution,” said Rabbi Kivman.

“I want my kids to grow up with pride in their Jewish heritage and a feeling of equality and self-confidence as Americans” said Susan Cohen of Holliston, who was looking forward to attending the public menorah lighting. “Chabad Lubavitch’s Hanukkah menorahs are arguably one of the most important developments ever to help my child’s education. I wish they had this where I grew up.”

The Menorah lighting is part of the worldwide Hanukkah campaign, an initiative launched by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson in 1973. The campaign highlights and encourages the central theme of the holiday — publicizing the story of the Hanukkah miracle.

“The message of Hanukkah is the message of light,” added Rabbi Kivman. “The nature of light is that it is always victorious over darkness. A small amount of light dispels a lot of darkness. Another act of goodness and kindness, another act of light, can make all the difference.”

Today, the unprecedented public display of Hanukkah has become a staple of Jewish cultural and religious life, forever altering the American practice and awareness of the festival. Holliston’s menorah is one of more than 15,000 large public menorahs sponsored by Chabad in more than 100 countries around the world, including in front of landmarks such as the White House, the Eiffel Tower, and the Kremlin, helping children and adults of all walks of life discover and enjoy the holiday message

ABOUT HANUKKAH

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, began this year on the evening of Sunday, Nov. 28 and concluded the evening of Monday, Dec. 6. It recalls the victory of a militarily weak Jewish people who defeated the Syrian Greeks who had overrun ancient Israel and sought to impose restrictions on the Jewish way of life and prohibit religious freedom. They also desecrated and defiled the Temple and the oils prepared for the lighting of the menorah, which was part of the daily service. Upon recapturing the Temple only one jar of undefiled oil was found, enough to burn only one day, but it lasted miraculously for eight. In commemoration, Jews celebrate Hanukkah for eight days by lighting an eight-branched candelabrum known as a menorah. Today, people of all faiths consider the holiday a symbol and message of the triumph of freedom over oppression, of spirit over matter, of light over darkness. Additional information about the Hanukkah holiday is available at www.JewishMA.com

ABOUT THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION

Chabad offers Jewish education, outreach and social service programming for families and individuals of all ages, backgrounds and affiliations. For more information, contact Rabbi Mendy Kivman at 508-473-1299 or visit www.JewishMA.com