By Robert Kalfus
Our world often feels overwhelmed by darkness, the physical darkness of winter, Daylight Savings Time, and especially now the spiritual darkness of the Covid-19 pandemic isolating each of us, keeping us in the safety of our homes, but isolating and preventing us from feeling each other’s community and supported.
Chabad reaches out to each precious soul to help them ignite their spark and make them feel the joy and warmth of Judaism. The holiday of Chanukah is especially well suited to accomplish spreading the light and joy of the miracle. Numerous upcoming Chanukah events welcome the public to increase and spread the light of Chanukah to all corners of Yonkers.
Chanukah, the Festival of Light, remembers the miracles of a small outnumbered band of Jewish guerrilla fighters defeating the overwhelming Syrian-Greek forces, liberating the Jewish nation and bestowing independence, and the miracle of the single cruze of undefiled oil, sufficient for only one day of kindling the lights in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, lasting for eight days, the length of time necessary until new pure and kosher olive oil could be pressed.
Chanukah activities this year begin at sunset on the first night of Chanukah, Thursday night, December 10th. The 8 day long holiday continues with the final, 8th candle lit after sunset on Thursday night, December 17th, and the holiday continues through the following Friday, December 18th, ending just before sunset.
Yonkers Home Depot manager Trevor Meinke donated to Chabad of Yonkers Rabbi Mendy Hurwitz 50 kits for people to build their own chanukiah to celebrate the upcoming holiday of Chanukah, a wonderful project for children working together with adults. Each kit comes complete with PVC pipes and couplings with all pieces needed to build your own chanukiah to celebrate all eight days of the Festival of Light, and can be lit with your own candles, or topped with a container of oil. Please contact Rabbi Hurwitz to receive, free of charge thanks to Home Depot Yonkers, your chanukiah kit, which is available at the synagogue, 600 North Broadway, Yonkers, by appointment. Contact Rabbi Hurwitz at (914) 963-8888, or email Rabbi@JewishYonkers.com, or visit their web site www.JewishYonkers.com.
On the first night of Chanukah, Thursday night December 10th, Rabbi Mendy Hurwitz invites you to the 5 pm lighting of the giant chanukiah at Yonkers’ Untermyer Gardens overlooking the Hudson River, at 945 North Broadway, publicly proclaiming the miracle of the oil, sufficient for only one day, instead lasting eight days. This celebration is open to only the first 25 people who respond, which will allow safe social distancing, as mask wearing and social distancing is required. Jelly donuts, the traditional Chanukah treat cooked in oil, will be served. Please register and receive instructions by calling Rabbi Hurwitz at (914) 963-8888 or emailing Rabbi@JewishYonkers.com.
The following week, on Tuesday, December 15th, the sixth night of Chanukah, Rabbi Mendy Hurwitz invites you to meet at 5 pm at the Chabad of Yonkers/Greystone Jewish Center at 600 North Broadway, where a large chanukiah will be lit outside the synagogue, proclaiming the miracle of Chanukah. Participants will receive traditional jelly filled sufganiot donuts. Chabad of Yonkers will make available a limited number of magnetically attached menorahs which will not damage your car. Soon after 5 pm a Chanukah car procession will leave the synagogue, forming a Chanukah procession driving north from Chabad to the Boyce Thompson Shopping Center at 1084 – 1088 North Broadway in Yonkers where at 6 pm, Rabbi Hurwitz will lead a public lighting of a giant chanukiah. People are invited to park and stay in their cars in the parking lot, where they will see the flames of the torches lit atop the chanukiah, while maintaining safe social distancing. Mask wearing is required.
As occurred last year, many cars with a Happy Chanukah sign and a menorah on top will illuminate Yonkers’ North Broadway with a wonderful parade of menorahs and music. Please register at Rabbi@JewishYonkers.com or call (914) 963-8888 to reserve a Menorah for your car top.
