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Giving More Light to the Community

The Town Green will shine even brighter this holiday season with the seventh annual lighting of the menorah in celebration of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.

The first light on the seven-branched candelabrum will be lit on the first night of Hanukkah, Sunday, Dec. 18. A festive celebration will be on the second night. The rest of the lights will be illuminated each day afterward over the course of the eight-day-long holiday.

The idea of including the lighting of a menorah on the Town Green originated from North Haven resident Sherman Katz, who approached First Selectman Michael Freda a number of years ago about honoring the Jewish holiday alongside the annual lighting of the Christmas tree.

“Sherman has been instrumental in us helping organize the event and light the lights. Sherman on many occasions has led the prayers for the event,” said Freda.

Freda said that the lighting of the menorah demonstrates the Town's efforts to be more inclusive in its recognition of the diversity in North Haven. Katz concurred with the need for representation of all town residents.

“We have a very small Jewish community in North Haven. I noticed that Hamden had a menorah and they have a ceremony. Many towns do, and it was just overlooked for no special reason,” Katz said. “My family, we do it at home, and we thought we’d bring it to the public.”

The lighting of the first candle on the menorah has encouraged a small turnout since the first holding of the event, but the message has reached into the Jewish communities in New Haven, West Haven, as well as Hamden. In the latter town, the message certainly reached Rabbi Moshe Hecht of Chabad of Hamden. This year will mark the first time Hecht and his congregation will participate in the event, bringing the holiday’s message closer to the inclusive nature of the event.

“The message of Hanukkah is all about adding more light. It’s a universal message that we all have a flame inside of us. We all have goodness and kindness to share with the world, and we have to do whatever it is we possibly can to add a little bit more light,” Hecht said. “We have to do that year-round, but Hanukkah is a unique time where it’s on our attention and it’s something we focus on each and every night.”

The participation of Hecht and his congregation will bolster the religious and celebratory elements of the lighting, expanding the message and the meaning of the holiday to the community, including children.

“We can broaden this out through the rabbi’s expertise and what he’s seen in other areas,” said Selectman Freda.

Hecht described the festive aspect of the lighting ceremony.

“We decided that in addition to the menorah lighting, we would obviously have all the refreshments. The latkes, the sufganiyot, all the typical Hanukkah treats,” said Hecht. “Thanks to the North Haven Fire Department, we will be having a Hanukkah gelt drop, the chocolate coins, where some of the firefighters will ascend the ladder and they will drop some of the gelt treats that we will provide them, so all the attendees can collect some of the gelt and enjoy.”

Along with the festivities and customary Hanukkah food, Katz said he would also love to tell all people at the event the story of the Maccabee warriors who fought against the Seleucid Empire and recaptured the Temple of Jerusalem from the Greek state. In dedication to their victory, the Maccabees lit the temple’s menorah with oil that miraculously lasted for eight days, to which the holiday is dedicated. Katz had told the story to attendees of previous menorah lightings at the Town Green given its significance to the holiday and its story.

“I think that was a very important thing to bring out to people. Even some Jewish people don’t understand the story of the Maccabees. That’s another thing I like to do at the candle lighting,” Katz said.

From the celebratory side of the event to the religious aspect, the rabbi hopes that the unique message of Hanukkah and the symbol of the menorah will greatly communicate the optimism and inclusivity inherent in their meaning.

“The menorah symbolizes light. So why don’t we start on the first night with all eight lights? Why do we start with one candle on the first night, and on the second day we add another candle? Why do we do it in these small steps? Although we aspire to change the world, that may not necessarily be realistic for just one individual to do. But there’s no excuse for not being able to make a difference one candle at a time, one good deed at a time, one good person at a time,” Hecht said.

“Each light, collectively, when everyone their part, then we have an entire menorah full of light. If we could all do one good thing, think about where our world would be today.”

According to Katz, the electric menorah that will be used is one with many small bulbs on the arms of the candelabrum, with eight lights atop. He will light the first bulb on the menorah on Dec. 18, while Hecht will be attending along with the festive activities, food, and music the following evening for the second bulb to be lit. The celebration will commence at 5 p.m. for sundown, with opening remarks made by the rabbi on the holiday and its history, along with a speech by Freda and the singing of Hanukkah songs. The night will conclude with the dropping of the gelt treats and a raffle.