Zalman Charytan, director of The Chabad Jewish Center, lights the first candle of the menorah at the center's fourth annual Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Celebration last year.
Staff/file
Staff/file
About 200 people are expected at this year’s event.
The lighting of the giant menorah highlights Hanukkah, which begins Saturday, for the Jewish community in Cherokee, north Fulton and north Cobb counties and is sponsored by the Chabad Jewish Center in Kennesaw.
“We are really celebrating that we are free to practice our religion and that is what we are doing with lighting the menorah, sending a message of light and of hope, that good will prevail over evil,” said Rabbi Zalman Charytan of the local center
The event will be complete with gifts, treats, hot latkes, music and entertainment. This year’s event will also be used to collect toys for children in the area affected by Superstorm Sandy.
“We want to remember there are other people in the greater community who cannot celebrate the way they would like to because of Hurricane Sandy, so we have joined with a sister church to collect toys to send there those children can celebrate,” Charytan said. “We will be accepting new toys, gift cards and monetary donations and we will be shipping them on Monday to Oceanside, N.Y.,” the rabbi said.
Chanukah, or Hanukkah as it is commonly known, is an eight-day celebration for all time highlighted by the kindling of the menorah each night of the holiday.
“The holiday enriches our lives with the light of tradition,” Charytan said.
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