This Hanukkah: Wheeling to shine brighter than ever with Jewish pride

Jewish spiritual awakening, at fraught time for Jews everywhere, spurs greater public Hanukkah display and celebration

Submitted by Rabbi Mendel Shmotkin

In a remarkable display of resilience and unity, the Wheeling community is gearing up for an extraordinary Hanukkah celebration this year. Despite the challenges faced by Jewish communities worldwide, families in Wheeling are embracing their identity with unprecedented pride and confidence.

This Hanukkah season carries particular significance, coming on the heels of recent events, notably post-Oct. 7. In the past, many Jews might have chosen to hide their Jewishness in response to rising antisemitism, but the post-Oct. 7 Jewish communal response has bucked all precedents. Residents are choosing to illuminate the darkness this Hanukkah, expressing their faith openly and celebrating with unwavering resolve.

Chabad of Wheeling, established just 10 months ago, is set to make history by organizing Wheeling's first public Hanukkah menorah lighting event at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10. This marks the first time the community will gather for a public menorah lighting, and the event promises to be a joyous occasion for all. Attendees can look forward to a spectacular six-foot menorah, and enjoy music, souvenirs, crafts, traditional doughnuts, hot drinks and other special Hanukkah treats.

Rabbi Mendel Shmotkin, reflecting on the enduring significance of Hanukkah, shared insights from the teachings of The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson: "The Rebbe launched the Hanukkah awareness campaign 50 years ago, in 1973, after the Yom Kippur War in Israel and in the half-century since, the 'Festival of Lights' has revitalized widespread observance of Hanukkah and brought it to the mainstream. The Menorah, and indeed Hanukkah - with its universal message of freedom of the human spirit, freedom from tyranny and oppression, and of the ultimate victory of good over evil - has as a result become a part of American culture.

"The Rebbe taught that not only is celebrating Hanukkah a vital part of Jewish life - where it has become a potent point of light and Jewish pride and confidence for American Jews in the fight against darkness and antisemitism - but also represents key American values, namely those of liberty and independence." said Rabbi Mendel Shmotkin. "The holiday of Hanukkah underscores the fact that American culture has been enriched by the thriving ethnic cultures which contributed very much, each in its own way, to communal life, both materially and spiritually.

"Today, the "Festival of Lights" not only revitalizes Hanukkah observance but also serves as a beacon of Jewish pride and confidence in the face of darkness and antisemitism."

Rabbi Shmotkin further emphasizes, "As we light the menorah for the first time publicly, it symbolizes the resilience and strength of Wheeling's Jewish community, standing proud and united in the face of challenges."

Join Chabad of Wheeling in celebrating this historic Hanukkah event and be a part of the community's journey toward unity, pride, and the triumph of light over darkness. Wheeling's first public Menorah Lighting will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10, at the Wheeling Town Center Plaza, 375 W. Dundee Road.

Hanukkah, the "Festival of Lights," begins this year on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 7, and concludes the evening of Friday, Dec. 15. It recalls the victory of a militarily weak but spiritually strong Jewish people, who defeated the Syrian-Greeks who had overrun ancient Israel and sought to impose restrictions on the Jewish way of life and practice. They desecrated and defiled the Holy Temple and the oil prepared for the lighting of the menorah - part of the daily service. Upon defeating their enemies and recapturing the Temple only one jar of undefiled oil was found, enough to burn for 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, adding another candle each night. Today, the holiday carries a universal 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 Chabad.org/Hanukkah.

Chabad of Wheeling offers Jewish education, outreach and social service programming for families and individuals of all ages, backgrounds and affiliations. For more information visit wheelingchabad.com.