Chabad hosts Community Menorah Lighting in Monroe on Sunday, Dec. 20.
Monroe. Just weeks after the deadly Jersey City Attack, Chabad’s Community Menorah Lightings to include memorial for Jersey City and all terror victims.
| 20 Dec 2019 | 11:38
Last year's Menorah Lighting in Monroe: Pictured from left to right are Chana Burston, Monroe Town Supervisor Tony Cardone, Monroe Village Mayor Neil Dwyer and Rabbi Pesach Burston. This year's lighting takes place Sunday, Dec. 20, beginning at 4:30 p.m. (
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Chabad of Orange County has been hosting the public menorah celebrations in Orange County for many years. This year, with Hanukkah being just weeks after the horrific anti-Semitic shooting in Jersey City, it will be celebrated by including a special memorial for the victims of the Jersey City attack, as well as all victims of terror.
The first night of Hanukkah is Sunday, Dec. 22. The Community Menorah Lighting will be held in Monroe 4:30 pm at the Commuter Parking Lot (Farmer’s Market) on Millpond Parkway in Monroe.
The recent rise in hate speech and hate crimes nationwide, including deadly shootings in Pittsburgh, Pa., Poway, Calif., and most recently in Jersey City, N.J., has organizers expecting a large turnout ever to take a stand against hate in a show of Jewish pride and unity.
“Hanukkah is the celebration of light over darkness,” said Rabbi Pesach Burston who directs Chabad of Orange County with his wife, Chana. “The darkness that we, as a nation, have been experiencing must be fought with light and goodness, and we are putting together our program to show that we will not be intimidated by those who wish to scare us.”
The event for the first night of Hanukkah will begin at 4:30 p.m. with the Firetruck Gelt (candy) Drop, followed by the lighting of the menorah—will follow with the participation of elected officials as well.
The public 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 Chanukah miracle.
There will also be events in Chester, Goshen and Tuxedo.
For more information on Chabad’s community Hanukkah events, visit www.ChabadOrange.com or call 845-782-2770.