Chanukah arrives early this year. The first day of Chanukah 2013 falls on Thanksgiving Day. The last time the holidays coincided in this way was in 1863 and it won’t happen again in our lifetime. To celebrate Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, Congregation B’nai Israel (CBI) in Rumson will be hosting a community-wide Chanukah party on Sunday, November 17, 2013 from 11 am to 1 pm. Adults, children and grandchildren are invited to join the fun.
Free and open to the public, the Chanukah celebration will include games, face painting, balloon sculptures and traditional holiday foods like latkes (potato pancakes) and jelly donuts. Children of all ages can build a LEGO® mini menorah and decorate Chanukah shaped cookies. Chanukah gifts will be available for purchase.
“The once-in-a-lifetime conjunction between Chanukah and Thanksgiving gives us an opportunity to reflect on similar themes shared by the two celebrations,” explains Rabbi Jeff Sultar of CBI. “Each one asks us to be thankful for the gifts that we have, and to rededicate ourselves to our highest values. Both celebrate religious freedom, Chanukah commemorating the Maccabee's victory over Assyrian rule, and Thanksgiving commemorating the Pilgrims' achieving religious freedom in the New World.”
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Congregation B’nai Israel is located at 171 Ridge Road in Rumson, New Jersey. Serving the Jewish community for over 90 years, the synagogue serves as a spiritual home for families in Monmouth County as well as providing religious education for preschoolers to adults and hosting social and civic functions for the community. For more information about this and other Chanukah related events, or for membership information, contact Director Emilie Kovit-Meyer at 732-842-1800 x 203 or go to www.cbirumson.org.
