‘Magical kingdom’ for Chanukah
CHANUKAH at Caulfield Racecourse just got a whole lot bigger than originally expected.
CHANUKAH at Caulfield Racecourse just got a whole lot bigger than originally expected.
The Chabad House of Caulfield event replacing Chanukah in the Park, which was cancelled this year in the wake of security fears, will see Santa’s Magical Kingdom at the racecourse transformed into a magical Chanukah wonderland, complete with decorations, themed activities, children’s rides and the largest slide in Australia.
The community can expect a world-class circus with trapeze artists and a plethora of entertainers with a Chanukah twist. The event is completely free, which extends to parking on the day.
The organisers have worked tirelessly in a mere week to put the event together and are anticipating thousands of enthusiastic revellers attending.
“The whole dynamic has massively changed,” Chabad Youth’s Rabbi Moshe Kahn told The AJN. “We’re transforming Santa’s Magical Kingdom into a Chanukah magical kingdom, we’re redoing it and taking over. It is beyond massive.”
He added, “We turned something negative, which was the cancelling of Chanukah in the Park, and made it the biggest positive you can dream of.”
The circus performances will replace the famous fireworks display, with Rabbi Kahn assuring the community that the new event is like a “Jewish Disneyland” where “you won’t be able to resist smiling” upon entering the premises.
Rabbi Kahn said his team has been working “around the clock” to put this together, and rather than re-creating the same “vibe” as Chanukah in the Park the replacement event is something completely different.
There will be kosher food vendors serving up delectable goods, live music and a wide array of entertainment for all ages to enjoy, said Rabbi Kahn.
“We’ve been working with Caulfield Racecourse to re-create the vibe of Santa’s Magical Kingdom and the owner loved the idea. We’ve worked out the logistics, security, the council permits and it’s all locked in … Big shout-out to Joseph Gutnick for being the main host and major sponsor.”
Chanukah at the Racecourse is on Sunday, December 6 from 5.15pm to 9.30pm at Caulfield Racecourse.
ZOE KRON
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