Lincoln Park's First Public Menorah Lighting

Lincoln Park's First Public Menorah Lighting

On Monday, December 2nd, 2013 at 5PM, Alderman Michele Smith will light the first Chanukah candle at a Menorah lighting ceremony sponsored by Chabad Lincoln Park at Mid-North Park (southeast corner of Clark and Belden). The menorah at Mid-North Park will stay throughout all eight days of Chanukah (November 27 - December 5). 

Chabad is an international organization with close to 4,000 centers worldwide, making it the fastest growing Jewish network today. A center in Lincoln Park opened about a year ago, directed by Rabbi Eliyahu Benhiyoun and his wife Luna catering to the Jewish community in Lincoln Park and at DePaul Univeristy. The goal of Chabad is to make Judaism and Jewish practice accessible to all Jews, regardless of affiliation or level of religious observance in an warm and friendly atmosphere.

Wednesday evening, November 27, will begin the holiday of Chanukah, the “Festival of Lights” when Jews commemorate their remarkable victory over the Syrian-Greek army led by King Antiochus and the liberation of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in the year 3622 BCE. The holiday, which lasts eight days, is a joyous occasion celebrated primarily with the lighting of the menorah every evening after sunset, beginning with one candle and each night adding one more. The menorah lighting is reminiscent of the small amount of pure oil, only enough for one night, that was found in the rubble of the Temple yet burned for all eight nights.

“Chanukah is not just the commemoration of a situation past, but its message and lessons relate to each and every one of us today. In short, Chanukah is the celebration of the small over the many, the seemingly weak over the strong. It is about determination and faith and trusting that when we are doing the right thing with the end goal in mind, we can overcome all challenges in our way,” explained Rabbi Eliyahu Benhiyoun, director of Chabad Lincoln Park and DePaul University.

“On Chanukah we publicize the miracle that took place by lighting our menorah in places where all can see. For Jewish students this is especially powerful to know that even if they are a minority on campus, they should always be proud of who they are and what they represent. And whenever faced with adversity or challenge, we should never try to fight the darkness directly but rather add light as the light will instantaneously make the darkness disappear,” said Mrs. Luna Benhiyoun, co-director of Chabad Lincoln Park and DePaul University.

More information about the event and about Chabad in general, can be found at www.JewishLincolnPark.com.