Giant menorah lighting celebrates Hanakkah in Evans
By NewsPress Now
EVANS, GA (WFXG) – Hanukkah is shining brighter than ever at the Evans Town Center Park.
Amid a time of challenges and uncertainty, the local Jewish community is sending a powerful message: the light of Hanukkah can never be extinguished.
Public menorah lightings have become a global symbol of Jewish pride with over 15,000 large menorah displays around the world, including here in the CSRA.
The giant menorah lighting ceremony at Evans Town Center Park is a 9 foot menorah that stands tall.
“The message is Hanukkah is an outward message. It’s to publicize the miracle, to make a statement that we are proud, that we believe in good over evil, that we believe in little good deeds, that we can do a community. They have a very powerful effect. We bring it out into the street, because we want to share that good with the wider end of everybody,” said Rabbi Zalmen Fischer.
A menorah is an eight-branch candelabrum that symbolizes triumph over hardship, after a miracle that happened with oil in the Book of Maccabees.
To represent the oil – many Jewish people eat fried foods like potato latkes and doughnuts during Hanukkah.
And light their menorahs each day for eight days.
This year the menorah has an even greater meaning.
“You know, anti-Semitism has reared its ugly head again, and and people in places that we never thought would be possible. So, Hanukkah teaches us about the power of light. We light one candle, and if you take a candle, light it and put in in a room, it brightens up the whole room,” said Rabbi Zalmen Fischer.
“Yeah, especially when everything going on today, a lot of anti-Semitism, a lot of hate, just the miracle and that we’re still here today, said Roberta Rivner, a local Jewish resident.
Jewish locals and families shared their pride at the ceremony with prayer, food and music.
The Columbia County Fire Department also parachuted chocolate coins called Gelts from the top of their ladder.
“So special because it’s the day with family we have eight days to get it right not just one but eight when I see my children teaching their children and everybody’s happy and excited you know it makes me feel good like I’ve done my job,” said Rivner.
This menorah will be at the park till January 2nd, the last day of Hanukkah.
