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Members and friends of Congregation Adath Israel gathered in the courtyard of the Huntingtown Road temple last week, for a community lighting event co-hosted by Hadassah of Greater Newtown/Danbury. Approximately 50 people attended the event, which included blessings, the lighting of the menorah, singing, and traditional refreshments.  (Bee Photos, Hicks)

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Mark Rebb helped Katherine Kohrman "light" most of the candles on a menorah set up outside Congregation Adath Israel for a community service on December 19. The menorah had been retrofitted so that it was battery powered, and therefore not in danger of blowing out, Rabbit Barukh Schectman said.

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Rabbi Barukh Schectman reminded guests at the community menorah lighting that "the miracle of Hanukkah belongs to all." In addition to leading a blessing and overseeing the lighting of a menorah outside Congregation Adath Israel, Rabbi Schectman was joined by the temple's sixth and seventh grade students for a few songs before everyone moved indoors to continue the celebration.

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Guests gathered by candlelight - and cell phones light, primarily - to sing traditional songs of Hanukkah once the menorah was lit. Katherine Kohrman, at lower right, told those assembled that she and others had decided to save a few trees by not making too many printouts of the songs. "Use your cells phones to look up the songs," she said. "I know you can look those up quickly."

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While the group continued singing, Katherine Kohrman began distributing gelt among the children in the crowd.

[naviga:img class="aligncenter wp-image-298489" src="https://newtownbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/SH_menorah-lighting-at-Adath-Israel-08-Tingley-with-latke-WATERMARKED.jpg" alt="SH_menorah lighting at Adath Israel 08 -- Tingley with latke WATERMARKED" width="400" height="600" /]Cara Tingley was one of the ladies serving warm potato latkes inside Congregation Adath Israel during the community menorah lighting event on December 19.

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Members of Congregation Adath Israel gathered inside their Huntingtown Road synagog on Tuesday, December 19, a few minutes after a community menorah lighting had taken place outside. Adath Israel of Newtown and Hadassah of Greater Newtown/Danbury co-hosted the event on the eighth night of Hanukkah. Katherine Kohrman, a member of Adath Israel, welcomed the approximately 50 people who gathered in the courtyard for the event, saying that while it was not the first night of Hanukkah, "it's the first time we are gathered together." Following a brief service outdoors, attendees moved - and warmed up - indoors, where refreshments were served.