If You See A Well-Lit Car Parade Through Essex County Monday, Here's Why

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Hanukkah begins at sundown Sunday, and a Car Menorah Parade the next night will light up Route 10, heading through Livingston, West Orange, Morristown, and more.

The event and several other free Hanukkah festivities this month will be run by a nonprofit group for people with disabilities, Friendship Circle of New Jersey.

More than 60 cars are expected to join the parade.

Friendship Circle of New Jersey provides support for children and teens with special needs and their families, as well as meaningful volunteer opportunities for teens. (Read about some of their services here.)

The Route And Activities

The cars will meet at the Rabbinical College in Morristown at 4:45, and travel through Livingston, ending at the Chabad of West Orange.

The cars will each have a Menorah affixed to the roof, and will travel through Morristown, Whippany, Hanover, Livingston and West Orange, along local roads including Route 10 and Pleasant Valley Way.

Escorted by the Morris and Essex County Sheriff's departments as well as police officers from each of the local towns, the parade will leave Morristown at 5 p.m. and is expected to reach the Chabad of West Orange at 6 p.m. for a holiday celebration with donuts and more.

“The message of Hanukkah is especially meaningful this year,” said Rabbi Zalman Grossbaum, CEO of Friendship Circle. “With all the challenges and strife around the world, the lights of the Menorah inspire us to add light and kindness to dispel darkness and hate. The public Hanukkah celebrations are about sharing this light and joy with the broader community and the entire New Jersey.”

The Car Menorah Parade is part of a worldwide campaign that helps to tell the story of the Hanukkah miracle.

Hanukkah is the Hebrew word for dedication. The eight-day observance commemorates the time when the Jews rose up against their Greek-Syrian oppressors, who wanted to suppress their religion and worship. The Jewish Maccabean Revolt took place in Second Century B.C.

READ MORE: When Is Hanukkah — Or Chanukah — In 2022? 5 Things To Know

In addition to the Car Menorah Parade, Friendship Circle is celebrating Hanukkah by hosting multiple events for the community at Friendship Circle, 10 Microlab Road in Livingston.

These include:

• Hanukkah Celebration with juggling, a fire show, dinner and Menorah lighting on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 5-6:30 p.m.
• Fabulous Friday Night, celebrating Hanukkah and Shabbat with dinner and Menorah lighting on Friday, Dec. 23, 7-9 p.m.
• Mitzvah Mania Hanukkah Wonderland, with Hanukkah theater, candle making, olive press workshop, Hanukkah cookies, doughnut decorating, arts & crafts, open gym playground and more on Sunday, Dec. 25, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

More information and registration for the events can be found at https://fcnj.com/chanukah2022.

Find out more about Friendship Circle here: www.fcnj.com

LifeTown is Friendship Circle’s 53,000-square-foot mini-town that helps people with special needs practice their life skills. The first of the kind in the region, it caters to the needs of children, teens, and adults. Find out more: www.LifeTown.com