Public menorah lightings ‘to remember not to be afraid’
Middletown. Kids had fun spinning with “Dreidel Man” and other family activities.
The Orange County Chabad put on its annual Chanukah Wonderland in the Galleria Mall in Middletown on Sunday, Dec. 10. The afternoon featured an ice menorah (whose candles were briefly lit and carefully tended by mall personnel), hot latkes and jelly donuts, a fully suited Dreidel Man available for selfies, singing accompanied by a teenage keyboardist in a yarmulke, and dancing that shook the floor of the mall’s second floor.
The fourth-night celebration was among a string of 11 events hosted by the Chabad around the county over the course of the week. The largest of them was the Goshen community unity event to combat antisemitism on Dec. 7, which drew about 300 people and featured the Chabad’s Rabbi Meir Borenstein and Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta throwing chocolate coins from a fire truck. On the fifth night, the Chabad had back-to-back menorah lightings scheduled in Florida and Wallkill, with Pine Bush up next.
“We have about 18 public menorahs,” said Rabbi Meir, speaking at the Galleria Mall. “Why? We have to remember not to be afraid. Although the Jewish people are being persecuted around the world, we have to remember Hashem is watching out for us.”