Many Attend Public Menorah Lighting in Goshen
Goshen – Many local residents from Goshen and from around the County came together to join in a public Menorah lighting ceremony on Sunday, December 17 in the Village Green. "The light of the Menorah commemorates not just a miracle of the past” said Rabbi Pesach Burston, director of Chabad of Orange County, as he addressed the crowd of over one-hundred people, “But the fact that we are lighting the menorah in 2006, after enduring centuries of persecution, is itself a miracle! The Menorah symbolizes the victory of light over darkness.”
Burston is a descendent of Holocaust survivors, one of which was saved by Oscar Schindler, and others who survived Nazi concentration camps. Burston passionately explained the powerful message of freedom that the flames of the Menorah illuminate: “My grandmother, a survivor of Auschwitz concentration camp, always tells me that a public Menorah lighting is the best revenge against Hitler and the many others who tried to extinguish the flame of Judaism.” To emphasize this, Chabad invited Holocaust survivor Cantor Endre Stamlor of Newburgh to lead the blessings.
After greeting the crowd and extending warm holiday wishes, Village of Goshen Mayor Scott Wohl was invited to light a candle. “Since the role of the Mayor is to serve the community” said Burston, “The Mayor will be honored with lighting the “Shamash” which serves to ignite all the other candles.” Participants lit their candles from the torch-candle the Mayor lit.
With more than 100 candles flickering in the dark, which each participant had lit from the Mayors candle, Cantor Stamlor led the crowd with the traditional blessings. Stefan Fornino, of Goshen, owner of the fourteen-foot high Menorah, was honored with lighting the second candle. Yakov Ohana, of Montgomery, who constructed the Menorah, and Dr. Larry Gordon of Goshen, were honored with lighting the remaining candles.
After the Menorah was lit, Dr. Alan Shaker of Goshen led the crowd in singing festive Chanukah songs. At the closure of the ceremony, Rabbi Pesach Burston and his wife, Chana, presented the Mayor with a silver musical “dreidel” (spinning top) as a token of appreciation on behalf of the Jewish community.
Everyone enjoyed hot latkes and toppings, doughnuts and other Chanukah treats. Children received packages filled with Chanukah prizes, stickers and chocolate coins.