With inaugural event, Northfield is latest town to host a community menorah lighting

The menorah is supposed to be seen, according to Rabbi Zelik Moscowitz, of The Friendship Circle in Northbrook, making community menorah lightings a symbolic gesture of Hanukkah’s meaning as much as a celebration of the holiday itself.

Moscowitz led the first such ceremony in Northfield on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at Clarkson Park. While Northfield has long displayed a public menorah, this is was the first year a celebration was held to light the menorah.

CLICK HERE FOR A PHOTO GALLERY FROM LOCAL HANUKKAH EVENTS

Community members gathered on the lawn of Clarkson Park to light the menorah’s candles, specifically the sixth candle for the sixth day of Hanukkah. Northfield Police William Lustig lit the shamash, or helper/center candle, to kick off the festivities, which continued indoors with more activities.

“The purpose of the menorah is to be in public and display freedom of religion,” Moscowitz said. “It symbolizes the strength of light, especially this year with so much negativity. The best way to counter that is with light and with goodness. The menorah represents the power of goodness to combat darkness.”

Northfield was the most recent community to mark Hanukkah with a public gathering. The Village of Winnetka held its ceremony on the same evening, Tuesday, Dec. 12, while Wilmette (Dec. 10), Glencoe (Dec. 10), Kenilworth (Dec. 9) and Highland Park (Dec. 2) also welcomed residents to mark the holiday this month.

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