Arlington Heights crowd packs park to light up menorah for Hanukkah

An estimated crowd of more than 100 people gathered in North School Park in Arlington Heights to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah.

They danced to traditional Jewish melodies, ate latkes and apple sauce, spun dreidels and watched the lighting of the menorah that will take its place in the park's holiday display.

The second annual menorah lighting and Hanukkah celebration, hosted by the Chabad Jewish Center of Arlington Heights, drew a much larger crowd than the inaugural event last year, which attracted only about 30.

But as Rabbi Yaakov Kotlarsky, leader of the center near Arlington Heights Road and Palatine Road, explained, "We considered that a big success, being that we had just opened."

Since then, the center has established a foothold in a community that had a large Jewish community but lacked a synagogue or religious center.

Sunday's crowd clearly enjoyed the festivities - one child even came dressed as a dreidel.

"I love it," said Rebecca Andreoli of Arlington Heights. "I think it's wonderful."

Sue Alt of Mount Prospect, called the Chabad "the best thing to happen to Arlington Heights and the Northwest Suburbs. It is a wonderful opportunity for Jews to come out and meet their friends and new friends and participate in holidays and simchas."

The ceremony featured a speech by Kotlarsky, who paid tribute to the Maccabees, the group of Jewish rebels who successfully fought for their right to practice their religion.

"The most amazing miracle is that a small Jewish army, not trained for military warfare, was able to overcome a mighty and powerful Greek army."

He also spoke about the miracle of the lights, when one jug of oil expected to kindle the menorah in the holy temple for one night lasted eight nights.

"That jug of oil represents the spiritual spark of God that each and every one of us has inside of ourselves. The message that we take from the Hanukkah menorah is that we need to ignite that one jug of oil, that one little spark we have inside of us."

Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas Hayes greeted the crowd with a "Shalom" and declared, "I'm also very thankful for the community that we have, a very welcoming community of ever increasing diversity."

Arlington Heights Trustee Bert Rosenberg, who was joined by most of his colleagues on the village board, led the crowd in the Hanukkah blessings.

Prior to the ceremony, Rosenberg, who attended with his family, said that most of the Jewish residents of Arlington Heights belong to a congregation outside the community. "When we first moved to Arlington Heights, we had to go to Beth Am, which was in Wheeling at the time."