WILLIAMSBURG — Chabad Williamsburg announced it will light a public 10-foot menorah erected at the Williamsburg Community Building on Sunday, Dec. 29 at 1 p.m., the fourth day of Hanukkah.
According to Chabad Williamsburg, Attorney General Jason Miyares, Mayor Douglas G. Pons of Williamsburg and other elected officials will be in attendance, and the ceremony will be followed by a community celebration.
“At this fraught time for the Jewish community, with war in Israel and American Jews facing a major rise in antisemitism, this year we are doing more to celebrate Hanukkah with joy and Jewish unity,” explained Rabbi Mendy Heber. “The Menorah and Hanukkah represent freedom of the human spirit, freedom from tyranny and oppression, and of the victory of good over evil.”
The ceremony will feature the menorah lighting and an array of entertainment including a gelt drop from a fire truck, a bounce house, as well as hot drinks and a selection of traditional Hanukkah foods.
This year’s celebrations carry added significance, said Chabad Williamsburg, as they mark 50 years since the first public menorah which was lit at the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia in 1974 after the launch of a worldwide Hanukkah campaign in 1973 to build awareness and promote observance of Hanukkah.
Williamsburg’s menorah is one of over 15,000 large public menorahs throughout the world, according to Chabad Williamsburg, including notable menorahs in front of the White House, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the St. Louis Arch, the Great Wall of China, and Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate.
“Celebrating Hanukkah is a potent point of light, Jewish pride and confidence for American Jews in the fight against darkness and antisemitism,” added Rabbi Heber. “The celebration of Hanukkah underscores the G-d-endowed liberty that is at the heart of what America represents.”
Chabad Williamsburg also noted William & Mary has permitted the display of a large Menorah at the Saddler Center for the duration of the holiday season, “thanks to the dedicated efforts of Chabad student leadership — a meaningful testament to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment for all students.”
