Washington, DC
Latkes? Check. Menorah? Check. Singing and dancing? Check.
All the boxes for the traditional lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah were checked in Springfield’s Court Square as Rabbi Chaim Kosofsky with help from U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal and Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno lit the giant Menorah.
With school children from Lubavitcher Yeshiva Academy watching from below, the three men rode a high-lift to light what is billed as the “tallest Menorah in Western Massachusetts.” Kosofsky recited the traditional Hanukkah prayers and then used a blowtorch to light two lights of the Menorah, signifying the second night of the eight-day celebration.
In his remarks, Neal spoke directly to the school children, telling them “freedom of religion is a cherished part of the American dream”. He went on to say that “American Jews have contributed greatly to the mosaic of America”.
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