Light Up the Night! Hanukkah Celebration

Light Up the Night! Hanukkah Celebration and Menorah Lighting

The Chabad-Lubavitch of Wisconsin and members of Milwaukee’s Jewish community gathered at the Bayshore Town Center rotunda this past Sunday to celebrate Hanukkah and lighting of the communal menorah. Each year, Hanukkah commemorates the Jewish people’s victory over those who tried to oppress the freedom of their religious practice and beliefs. The eight-day festivities also celebrate the spiritual light that guides people in their daily lives. Lighting of the menorah is symbolic and reminds the Jewish people of the sacredness of their past and take pride in their faith.

The Light Up the Night celebration started off with an introduction by Rabbi Yisroel Lein. The Friendship Circle’s Chai Notes hand chime performance group performed some traditional Hanukkah tunes. The Friendship Circle is a organization that supports persons of special needs of all ages. The children’s choir and drum troupe from the Hillel Academy and Jewish Beginnings also provided festive entertainment.

The menorah at the event was not just a common candelabrum. The candles stand on top of 4-5 inch high square columns. Each column was covered with Mitzvah notes of good deeds written by children from various Jewish schools. The good deeds provide the “oil” in which the menorah is lit with.

The festivities continued after the entertainment concluded. Families gathered and mingled, ate sufganiyot, and received Hanukkah gelt from Rabbi Schneerson. A man dressed as a dreidel and another as the great warrior Judah Maccabee walked around to greet guests and pose for photos.

You can see photos from the event in the slideshow below or at TCD’s Flickr page.