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The entire community is invited to the annual City of Coral Gables Festival of Lights Chanukah Celebration scheduled for Sunday, December 10th, the fourth night of Chanukah, from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m. at Ponce Circle Park, 2800 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables.
The Chanukah celebration will feature a Chanukah themed Firetruck Parade and Gelt Drop. Our local Coral Gables firefighters will affix a large Menorah to their truck, and a dreidel mascot will shower down chocolate gelt (coins) for all participants.
The free public event is for both children and adults and will offer live musical entertainment and carnival rides, including rock climbing wall, obstacle course, train rides and a toddler play center. Kids and adults alike will enjoy the Israel-themed bracelet making, hot potato latkes, traditional Chanukah doughnuts, ice cream, cotton candy and popcorn, face painting and other holiday treats.
The highlight of the event will be the lighting of the candles on the large 12-foot Menorah that will illuminate Ponce Circle Park during the holiday season. Mayor Vince Lago, City Commissioners & community leaders will be the honored guests.
The public Chanukah celebration is being heralded as a response to the worrisome rise in antisemitic rhetoric online and elsewhere.
“Our response to hatred of any kind must never be to cower or hide our faith,” said Rabbi Avraham Stolik, who directs Chabad in Coral Gables with his wife Chany. “The story of Chanukah is the tremendous power of light to overcome darkness. We can have no better response to negativity we encounter than to gather together in even greater numbers and celebrate the light of the menorah in public.”
“Unity is what makes a strong community,” said Chany Stolik. “Chanukah is a time for us to tune in to this, because together we can accomplish great things. In the spirit of unity, we have custom-designed “Am Yisrael Chai” t-shirts, that will be given out complimentary to anyone that reserves for the event. There is no greater way to combat hate, than with harmony.”
Today, the unprecedented public display of Chanukah has become a staple of Jewish cultural and religious life, forever altering the American practice and awareness of the festival. Coral Gables’ menorah is one of more than 15,000 large public menorahs sponsored by Chabad in more than 100 countries around the world, including in front of landmarks such as the White House, the Eiffel Tower, and the Kremlin, helping children and adults of all walks of life discover and enjoy the holiday message.
To receive a complimentary “Am Yisrael Chai” t-shirt, RSVP at ChabadGables.com/unite.
The event is sponsored by Dr. Barry Burak of Affiliated Healthcare Centers. Security will be present.
Anyone who would like a menorah for Chanukah can reserve a complimentary kit at ChabadGables.com/MenorahKit
For more information please call 305-490-7572, email info@ChabadGables.com or visit ChabadGables.com.
