Hundreds Enjoy Music, Dancing, Latkes At Menorah Lighting

By John Voket

Attendees came by the carload and braced themselves against freezing temperatures with hot beverages, donuts, and homemade latkes as leaders from Chabad of Northern Fairfield County and Congregation Adath Israel in Newtown joined First Selectman Joseph Borst ushering in the Festival of Lights Tuesday outside Edmond Town Hall.

A few hearty souls even whirled around in circles dancing the Horah, and laughing as “Hava Nagila” was played over a makeshift sound system. It was all part of a community outreach effort orchestrated locally by the two organizations to remind residents of the arrival of Hanukkah, which began Tuesday at sunset.

Chabad’s mission to ensure Jewish continuity through increasing Jewish pride, knowledge, and commitment was certainly fulfilled here this week, although the crowd began thinning measurably following the menorah lighting and the singing of traditional songs.

As the festivities began, visitors took in several homemade menorahs created in tribute by students of Congregation Adath Israel. Rabbi Sholom Deitch of Chabad officiated the ceremony along with Rabbi Shaul Praver of Congregation Adath Israel.

Rabbi Praver described the event as “magical.”

“Our regular members came out in mass and I noticed a lot of new faces, as well. The candle lighting, held in a very central location, at the town hall, for some peculiar reason, encouraged a lot of Jewish people to come out for the celebration of Hanukkah.”

Piano accompaniment was courtesy of Beth Styles of The Songwriters Studio in Sandy Hook, and the program featured an original Hanukkah song presented by Robert Boncoddo, Bonnie Goldstein and Christine Michel, titled “The Menorah.”

Several generations of family members were present sharing in the tradition, many representing the local congregation that recently occupied its brand-new temple in Botsford.

The lighting of the menorah, known in Hebrew as the hanukiya, is the most important Hanukkah tradition. A menorah is a candlestand with nine branches. Usually eight candles — one for each day of Hanukkah — are of the same height, with a taller one in the middle, the shamash (“servant”), used to light the others.

Each evening of Hanukkah, one more candle is lit, with a special blessing.

The menorah symbolizes the burning light in the temple, as well as marking the eight days of the Hanukkah festival. Some say it also celebrates the light of freedom won by the Maccabees for the Jewish people.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for the established Jewish community to invite their friends of all faith to participate in a fun-filled holiday,” Rabbi Praver said. “The only requirement is that they like potato pancakes [latkes] or jelly donuts and we don’t discriminate between people that like sour cream on their latkes or those that like applesauce, and in fact, we even allow ketchup!”