Hanukkah celebrations start in downtown Wilmington
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)– December 14th marks the first day of the eight-day Jewish holiday known as Hanukkah. To celebrate the occasion, The Chabad of Wilmington gathered in downtown Wilmington just about an hour ago, at the riverwalk, to light up the first candle of the menorah. The menorah was made out of ice.
The gathering also included traditional music, entertainment, and food. The celebration started after a victory for a small group of Jews at the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. The Jews only had enough oil to light the temple’s menorah’s once, but the oil lasted for eight.
Rabbi Moshe Lieblich explains what lighting each candle means after thousands of years.
“The idea that the best way to push away darkness, is not necessarily through fighting, but through increasing light like acts of goodness and kindness. Menorah is about light, there was a battle, but we celebrate the light,” said Lieblich.
