At Chanukah at the Park, a little light goes a long way

Chabad of Vero Beach shed some light on a centuries-old, commemorative festival during Chanukah at the Park, held at the gazebo in Riverside Park last Thursday evening. The event marked the first night of the eight-day Jewish Festival of Lights celebration and offered a little bit of hope as the world navigates the current coronavirus pandemic.

Rabbi Motty Rosenfeld opened the evening’s festivities with the story behind the Chanukah celebration, explaining that when the Maccabees overcame the Syrian Greek army and retook their temple, they found they had just enough oil for one night. The miracle of Chanukah is that the oil lasted for eight days, through the grace of God.

Rosenfeld said that, like the Maccabees, “we’re coming out of a dark time, but a little bit of good and a little bit of light pushes away a lot of darkness. The menorah serves as a symbol of hope. When we light the menorah, we can take that little bit of light and shine.”

After the lighting of the Grand Menorah, guests listened to the traditional music of Chanukah, enjoyed sufganiots, a deep-fried jelly donut traditionally eaten during the eight-day celebration, and were entertained by a Crazy Indy Street performance.

Chabad of Vero Beach has hosted the celebration at the Indian River Mall for the past few years but changed to the outdoor venue due to COVID-related health concerns.

“It’s our job to spread the light. That little candle will dispel so much darkness,” said Rabbi Zvi Konikov, director of Chabad of Space and Treasure Coast.

The very definition of Chabad – an acronym from three Hebrew words meaning “Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge” – conveys the essence of the principles that Chabad of Vero Beach was founded upon, to provide a place for all Jews “to develop a sense of community, to enhance the experience of being Jewish, to learn and to have fun.”

For information, visit jewishvero.com.

Photos by: Brenda Ahearn
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