Staten Islanders showed up for a Chanukah Menorah lighting held on Monday evening December 23, 2019 at Staten Island Borough Hall located in the St. George section of the borough.

The event, kicking off with remarks at 6:30 p.m., featured musical performances from various community groups. The event, which celebrates the Jewish Festival of Lights, is sponsored by the Council of Jewish Organizations of Staten Island (COJO-SI).

“The sentiment that we should all have this time of year is joy,” said Borough President James Oddo. “We get to spend time with the people we love, people we’re closest to and sometimes those people are our family.”

Chanukah is called the Feast of Lights or Festival of Lights due to the importance of the candle-lighting. The ceremony was dedicated to the four victims of a shooting in Jersey City in front of a kosher store earlier this month. The event also included toy donations, donated by Governor Andrew Cuomo and by Ms. Josephine Marino, president of NYPD Community Council Pct. 120, jelly donuts and dreidels for the children in attendance were donated by Rabbi Avraham Biderman of Congregation Oorah.

Harold Bregman of the Jewish War Veterans Post 80 Staten Island sang the Anthem and Pledge of Allegiance.

“This event brings the community together to enjoy the holiday season,” said Mendy Mirocznik, president of COJO-SI. “We’re honored to be able to hold this every year and bring joy to Staten Islanders. It is so much extra important this year due to the unfortunate massacre in Jersey City as well as the reality of the hate that the world finds itself in. Our hope is that through the light of the Chanukah Menorah to pave the way for healing and positive change.”

Mirocznik then thanked Scott Maurer, ceo and executive vice-president of COJO-SI and his hard-working staff and Ari Weiss, chairman of the COJO-SI Security Committee, and coordinator Staten Island Shomrim for their hard work in making the Menorah Lighting a success.

Scott Maurer, ceo and executive vice-president related, “how pleased I am that the room has representation from the various communities that live in Staten Island. This showing of support gives us the confidence to know that we will win the battle against hate and evil and anti-Semitism.”

Borough President James Oddo together with FDNY Staten Island Borough Chief Kevin Woods lit the Shames Candle and Rabbi Michael Miller, ceo and executive vice-president of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York {JCRC-NY) lit the Menorah.

Also attending the Menorah lighting was Assembly Member Michael Cusick and Assembly Member Nicole Malliotakis.