6-Foot Menorah to Light Up Arlington Heights, as Part of World's Largest Hanukkah Observance
Chabad Jewish Center of Arlington Heights To Light Up One of 15,000 Public Menorahs Worldwide, Symbolizing Universal Message of Religious Freedom
Yaakov Kotlarsky
[Arlington Heights, IL] - The Chabad Jewish Center of Arlington Heights will ignite a public six-foot Hanukkah menorah erected at the North School Park, followed by a community-wide celebration on December 6th, the third night of the eight-day holiday. The ceremony, organized by Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi Yaakov Kotlarsky, will be a first for the Arlington Heights Community. Following the menorah lighting ceremony, hundreds will dance, sing and eat the night away.
"The menorah serves as a symbol of Arlington Heights's dedication to preserve and encourage the right and liberty of all its citizens to worship freely, openly, and with pride. This is true especially in America, a nation that was founded upon and vigorously protects the right of every person to practice his or her religion free from restraint and persecution," said Rabbi Kotlarsky.
"I want my kids to grow up with pride in their Jewish heritage and a feeling of equality and self-confidence as Americans" said Mrs. Williams of Arlington Heights, who is looking forward to attending the public menorah lighting. "Chabad Lubavitch's Hanukkah menorahs are arguably one of the most important developments ever to help my child's education. I wish they had this here when I grew up."
The Menorah lighting is part of the worldwide Hanukkah campaign, an initiative launched by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 1973. The campaign highlights and encourages the central theme of the holiday - publicizing the story of the Hanukkah miracle.
"The message of Hanukkah is the message of light," added Rabbi Kotlarsky. "The nature of light is that it is always victorious over darkness. A small amount of light dispels a lot of darkness. Another act of goodness and kindness, another act of light, can make all the difference."
Today, the unprecedented public display of Hanukkah has become a staple of Jewish cultural and religious life, forever altering the American practice and awareness of the festival. Arlington Heights's menorah is one of more than 15,000 large public menorahs sponsored by Chabad in more than 100 countries around the world, including in front of landmarks such as the White House, the Eiffel Tower, and the Kremlin helping children and adults of all walks of life discover and enjoy the holiday message
Throughout the State of Illinios, Chabad will be presenting dozens of Hanukkah events and celebrations, including public Menorah Lightings, Giant Menorahs made out of ice and lego, Menorah Parades, Latke Parties, Giant Dreidel Houses,"Chanukah Wonderlands" and more. To find a local event in Illinois, or practically anywhere throughout the world, visit the international Hanukkah event directory at www.chabad.org/HanukkahEvents.
EVENT RECAP:
What: Grand Menorah Lighting
Where: North School Park - 410 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Arlington Heights, IL
When: Tuesday, December 6 at 6:00 PM
ABOUT HANUKKAH
Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, begins this year on the evening of Sunday, December 2 and concludes the evening of Monday, December 10. It recalls the victory of a militarily weak Jewish people who defeated the Syrian Greeks who had overrun ancient Israel and sought to impose restrictions on the Jewish way of life and prohibit religious freedom. They also desecrated and defiled the Temple and the oils prepared for the lighting of the menorah, which was part of the daily service. Upon recapturing the Temple only one jar of undefiled oil was found, enough to burn only one day, but it lasted miraculously for eight. In commemoration, Jews celebrate Hanukkah for eight days by lighting an eight-branched candelabrum known as a menorah. Today, people of all faiths consider the holiday a symbol and message of the triumph of freedom over oppression, of spirit over matter, of light over darkness. Additional information about the Hanukkah holiday is available at www.chabad.org/Hanukkah.
ABOUT THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION
Chabad Jewish Center of Arlington Heights offers Jewish education, outreach and social service programming for families and individuals of all ages, backgrounds and affiliations. For more information, contact Rabbi Yaakov Kotlarsky, at rabbi@chabadah.org or visit chabadah.org.