Shining a light on Chanukah festivities
THE Festival of Lights is set to get into full swing with a host Chanukah events.
DALIA SABLE
THE Festival of Lights is set to get underway on Friday December 11 and Melbourne’s Jewish community has gone Chanukah-crazy, with events being held across the city for everyone from the oldest to the youngest.
The annual Chanukah in the Park celebrations will take place as usual on Sunday evening (December 13) to coincide with the lighting of the third candle.
To be held at Caulfield Park, the festivities will include the famous Chanukah fireworks, in addition to pony rides, an animal farm, entertainment and food.
Also on Sunday night, Child Survivors of the Holocaust will host a dinner and auction with special guest Rabbi Gornisht at Kadimah Reception Centre, and Soul Fusion will hold a celebration for singles.
Earlier on Sunday, Emmy Monash Aged Care will host its largest annual event -— a Chanukah party for residents and their families with lunch, entertainment, candle-lighting, singing and dancing.
Monday evening (December 14) is set to be a busy night, with Premier John Brumby hosting Chanukah at Parliament House, Campus Chabad celebrating Chanukah on Wheels at Dandenong Skate Park, and the Jewish Russian Community Centre, FREE, going ice-skating for the festival.
Also on Monday, Chabad of Glen Eira will create a white Chanukah with five tonnes of real snow being dumped on the congregation’s grounds for a carnival and barbecue.
To complete its so-called “Chanukah Wonderland”, Glen Eira will also have an ice sculptor carving a two-metre-tall chanukiah which, when completed, will be lit.
Down the road at Spiritgrow, Chanukah will be celebrated through ancient Australian traditions, including didgeridoo-playing, indigenous dancing and art, and latkes. Hamayan will host kids’ activities, doughnut-decorating, music and food.
Central Shule Community Centre will mark the festival with a breakfast on Tuesday morning (December 15), which will also honour outgoing Member for Caulfield Helen Shardey.
Later that evening, Elwood Talmud Torah Congregation will celebrate with hot latkes, doughnut-making and eating, a dreidel games table and a special chanukiah-lighting ceremony, where the five candles will be lit by families representing the past, present and future of the shul.
The North Eastern Jewish Centre, East Melbourne shul and Open House are also all hosting celebrations on Tuesday.
The following night will see Caulfield Hebrew Congregation’s giant kids’ party, complete with a flamethrower, hot dogs and doughnuts, as well as a “soulful” candle-lighting ceremony.
Thursday night (December 17) will see the candlelight cast a glow on Federation Square for Chanukah in the City, with a jumping castle, the Access Inc Drum Ensemble and community performances including the St Kilda Shul Choir, Klezmeritis and special guest Renee Geyer.
Hagshama will also mark the festival on Thursday night with a Bolly­wood-themed party in St Kilda. Kew Hebrew Congre­gation will celebrate the eighth night with a Greco-Syrian-themed Shabbat dinner.
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