Jewish community holds menorah lighting

WILMINGTON - Saturday night marked a historic occasion in the small town of Wilmington as the Jewish community came together to celebrate the first public menorah lighting in the town’s history.
The menorah, a candelabra with nine branches used in the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, was lit at Memorial Hall at 6 pm. The event, organized by the local Chabad Jewish center, was open to the public and attracted many community members of all ages and backgrounds.
The event featured traditional Hanukkah music, doughnuts, latkes - also known as potato pancakes - and tea.
Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a holiday that commemorates the miracle of a small amount of oil lasting for eight days in the ancient Jewish temple in Jerusalem. The menorah, with its nine branches, represents this miracle and is lit each night of Hanukkah as a symbol of hope and celebration, a holiday that commemorates freedom from religious persecution and a holiday that symbolizes how a small amount of light sheds great darkness.
The menorah lighting in Wilmington was a significant event for the town’s Jewish community and the community as a whole. It represented a celebration of diversity and inclusivity and was an opportunity for people of all backgrounds to come together and share in the joy of the holiday.
The event was made possible through the Chabad Jewish Center of Brattleboro in conjunction with town manager Scott A. Tucker, and the chair of the beautification committee, Cheryl LaFlamme.