To accommodate the growing number of people who attend the annual community celebration of the Lighting of the Menorah in The Villages, the event is changing locations and being held for the first time at Lake Sumter Landing Market Square.
The celebration, which includes music, singing and dancing, will take place rain or shine at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2.
Everyone is invited to be part of this celebration and come hear the telling of the Hanukkah story. Members of the Temple Shalom Ritual Committee will be telling the story during the service led by Larry Wallace, Temple Shalom service leader. The Temple Shalom choir will sing traditional Hanukkah songs and The Villages International Folk Dance Troupe will lead audience participation, dancing at the conclusion of the service.
“Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire,” said Susan Feinberg, marketing director at Temple Shalom. “According to the Talmud, the Temple was purified and the wicks of the menorah miraculously burned for eight days, even though there was only enough sacred oil left for one day’s lighting.”
Feinberg described the modern customs of Hanukkah.
“It is observed for eight nights. Each night there is the lighting of the Menorah. In some families children receive a small gift each night.” She added, “We play a game of chance called dreidel, where one plays for nuts or chocolates, gifts of chocolate Hanukkah Gelt (Money) wrapped in gold foil are given to the children and foods that commemorate the miracle of the sacred oil are eaten. Potato latkes are probably the best known of the holiday foods.”
Children attending the celebration will receive gifts of dreidels and Hanukkah Gelt.
In addition to the Menorah Lighting celebration on Sunday, Menorahs will be lit in all three of The Villages Squares for the eight nights of Hanukkah, Dec. 2 – 10. The Villages also lights Menorahs in all of the recreation centers.
For additional information about the Lighting of the Menorah celebration, contact Temple Shalom of Central Florida at 748-1800.
