Hamilton – The Chanukah Party

By COLlive reporter
Photos: Shmuel Amit/COLlive

Not just the White House.

Brooklyn had its own pre-Chanukah party on Thursday night with participants – 100 Jewish professionals and activists – coming from across the Borough of Brooklyn.

Wearing a special Chanukah-themed iKippah on his head, New York State Senator Jesse Hamilton hosted the reception at Basil Pizza and Wine Bar in the Crown Heights neighborhood, which is part of his constituency.

Participants mingled over selections from Basil’s new menu, including their assorted pizzas, famed ‘Basil fries’ and fish delicacies, which were prepared by the restaurant’s new chef Kim Plafke.

Mendy Margolin, one of the organizers, opened the event with a prayer for the success and divine guidance for elected officials in their decisions and public service.

Local Jewish activist Yaacov Behrman, one of the organizers, emceed the event and welcomed participants to Hamilton’s third Crown Heights Chanukah party.

To the delight of the Chassidic participants, Senator Hamilton opened his remarks by mentioning that Thursday was the 19th of Kislev on the Jewish calendar.

“It’s a historical day since it’s the day the first Rebbe was released from prison,” he said, referring to the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, who was accused by Czarist Russia of treason for supporting Israel’s poor.

Hamilton said that he is “so grateful” to live in Crown Heights because he has so many dear friends in the neighborhood.

He presented a Small Business Award to Shmuly Wolff of JMenu.com, who recently organized the first Jewish Food Crawl in Crown Heights benefiting NCFJE’s Toys For Hospitalized Children and sponsored by COLlive.com.

Hamilton, who attended the crawl and loved the herring prepared by Raskin’s Fish, praised JMenu’s work to promote and encourage small businesses in the neighborhood.

Guests enjoyed live music by Jake Shulman-Ment and Raul Rothblatt, along with a special performance by Cantor Shlomie Rabin.

Also in attendance were Council Member-elect Kalman Yeger of Boro Park, District Leader Geoffrey Davis, Judge Lorna McAllister, Hamilton’s Jewish liaison Reuven Lipkind, Crown Heights community activist Devorah Halberstam, Jason Koppel of AIPAC Northeast Region, and Satmar community activist Yanky Eisdorfer.