[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] Thousands of tickets were distributed to people from all walks of life for this year’s lighting ceremony of the National Menorah on the Ellipse across from the White House on Wednesday, Nov. 27. While organizers fretted over the inclement weather, the freezing rain stopped just moments before the ceremony began and indeed most ticketholders, including many VIPs, braved the elements to participate in this celebration of the Chanukah miracle, perhaps the most prominent such celebration in the world.
In addition to a special message from The President, delivered to organizers as the event was starting – and in which he referred to the story of Chanukah as when the Macabbees “reclaimed their historic homeland” and “the Jewish Temple was cleansed and consecrated” over 2200 years ago, significant words in these days – a Jewish member of his Cabinet, US Trade Representative (Amb.) Mark Froman attended and delivered greetings on behalf of The President and the First Lady, The Vice President and Dr. Biden and the Administration.
The event was chaired by Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) which sponsors the National Menorah Council, organizers of the National Menorah. Guests enjoyed a special performance by The US Air Force Band and The Three Cantors, coordinated by Musical Director Jeff Nadel. Cantors included Benny Rogosnitzky of The Park East Synagogue, Shimmy Miller of the Young Israel of Margate, and Schneur Zalman Baumgarten of the Moscow Marina Roscha Synagogue. Grammy Award winning violinist Miri Ben-Ari played a special rendition of Maoz Tzur, and Perel Leah Kimelman, a 6th grader at the Esformes Cheder Lubavitch Girls School in Chicago read her winning essay of the Rabbi Mendy Deren Memorial National Menorah Essay Contest.
Spotted among the dignitaries were many White House Officials, Congressional figures and diplomats, including of course, Israel’s new ambassador to the US, HE Ron Dermer. Many Jewish communal leaders were also in attendance. The program included a Chanukah Message from the Chairman of the Executive of the international Chabad Lubavitch Movement, Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, who actually established the project of public menorahs 39 years ago and had the National Menorah built several years later, hosting then President Jimmy Carter at its initial lighting ceremnoy. Thousands of hot latkes and donuts were served after the conclusion of the ceremony, with Dreidelman (a cartoon like character) and “Maccabees” distributing complimentary menorah kits.
Early indications from independent media monitoring services are that the event was viewed by tens of millions of people on some 1,787 newscasts across the country as of Thursday night – national and local – including all the major networks such as ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN, C-SPAN, some of whom even carried parts of the event live on the evening news.
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4 Responses
The custom of lighting these large menorahs in the public square is a Lubavitcher custom and has no basis in Judaism.
Lubavitch has successfully foisted their hashkofo upon upon everyone and managed to fool everyone into thinking this is a Jewish custom. It emphatically is not.
According to true halacha and hashkofo the place for lighting the menorah is at the home and in shul only!
What a great example of Pirsumei Nisa!!!
And thousands were given menorahs to light at their homes.
An how many other Jews at home were reminded that Chanukah was observed NOW? Thousands? Millions?
What a tremendous Kiddush HaShem!
I’m a little confused about the above comment. I recently happened to be learning “b’hasgocha protis” the mishna brura which states that the main idea of the menorah is pirsumei nisa. I assume that this is also the reason why the national menorah is under 20 Amos. In order that it should be a kosher menorah. Which then can achieve this idea of pirsumei nisa in a halachic way. I assume that by millions of people seeing and hearing about the national menorah they were surely inspired to light their own menorah in their home.
‘Porque’, your name and your Krummeh opinions are a match. Since when is Pirsumei Nissa a ‘Lubavitcher custom’? Why is your need to put others down overshadowed only by your overflowing ‘Ahavas Yisroel’? It’s about time you pulled yourself out of the gutter of ancient Machlokes and brought some of your own good and light into this world — as Lubavitchers have been doing for decades.