Chanukah Festival of Lights Illuminates Yonkers
All Photos (c) Robert Kalfus
Fairy on Stilts and a juggler
Pey Dalid entertainers
At Cross County, Heavily armed and well prepared Yonkers Police officers
By Robert Kalfus
Chabad of Yonkers Rabbi Mendy Hurwitz joyfully “spreads the light” of Chanukah, explaining that “Chanukah is a holiday celebrated at home. But we bring the light out into the street and share the light, to shed light, to illuminate and push away the darkness,” as he started Chanukah first night’s lighting, Sunday, December14, at the Ridge Hill Shopping Center in Yonkers, with a giant menorah. Standing in the bucket of Yonkers Tower Ladder 75, Rabbi Hurwitz lit the shammash and said the traditional Chanukah blessings. Braving the bitter freezing cold, and the wind swaying the Tower Ladder, the first light’s torch was then lit by Dr. David Dickoff, a neurologist and synagogue member.
About 40 people danced to the music of the Pey Dalid band’s five members, playing their instruments barehanded, sans gloves, despite the cold…..or to keep warm. A juggler and stilt-walking fairy entertained. Rabbi Mendy, his wife Chanie and children gave free traditional sufganiot, sugar topped, cream filled icing donuts of icing and chocolate, and hot latkes (potato pancakes fried in oil), and gave Chanukah gelt to both adults and children.
At least six heavily armed Yonkers police wearing body armor and Ridge Hill Security officers were visible, guarding against any unwanted intrusion or a repetition of the Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia massacre. Westchester elected officials Senate Majority Leader Andrea Steward-Cousins, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, Assemblywoman Shelly Mayor, and Yonkers Assemblymember Anthony Merante joined Rabbi Mendy Hurwitz denouncing senseless anti-Semitism and the tragedy, and voiced their support for the Jewish community.
Monday night saw the second night’s lighting of the second light of Chanukah moving to the Cross County Center, where Yonkers Councilman John Rubbo and his son joined the celebration, again with Pey Dalid music, dancing, sufganiot, and warm latkes.Chanukah, the Festival of Light, remembers the miracles of a small outnumbered band of Jewish partisan 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 olive oil could be pressed, allowing the defiled Temple to be rededicated.\
Despite the bitter freezing cold, the five members of Pey Dalid perfomed barehanded.
Westchester elected officials Senate Majority Leader Andrea Steward-Cousins, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, Assemblywoman Shelly Mayor, and Yonkers Assemblymember Anthony Merante joined Rabbi Mendy Hurwitz denouncing senseless anti-Semitism and the tragedy, and voiced their support for the Jewish community.
