By COLlive reporter
Photos: Shimi Kutner
Thousands of people made their way as in years past – 38 in fact – to The Ellipse, just across from The White House in Washington, DC, to participate in the lighting ceremony of the National Menorah.
The program has been taken to a whole new level in recent years, in order to accommodate increased interest. An expanded team, headed by Menachem Shemtov, worked diligently for weeks to help coordinate numerous critical details.
The US Air Force Band led by Lt. Philip Emory, USAF, accompanied the Three Cantors – Jeff Nadel (Musical Director), Yaakov Lemmer and Yaakov Motzen, with special Chanukah selections.
Mushka Landa, 5th Grade Southern Connecticut Hebrew Academy – New Haven, CT and Elias Greenwood, 4th Grade Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, CA, read their winning entries in the Rabbi Mendy Deren Memorial National Menorah Essay Contest.
They were followed by Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, Executive Chairman of Agudas Chassidei Chabad International, and founder of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) as well as the National Menorah program.
He saluted the thousands of fellow colleagues (Shluchim) around the world organizing similar events in communities of all sizes, reiterating the intent of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of blessed memory, that every Jew, no matter their circumstance, be able to avail themselves of the light, warmth and service of the Chabad-Lubavitch centers the world over.
The orchestra played special Chanukah selections, including the welcome for Dreidelman, and the Gary D. Cohn, Director of the National Economic Council at The White House, the President’s top economic adviser, represented and brought greetings from the Administration.
He thanked Chabad for organizing the event and spoke about the president’s recent declaration officially recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. He then conveyed wishes of a Happy Chanukah on behalf of the President, the First Lady and the Administration.
VIDEO: By Levi Margolin
Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad) and organizer of the event, thanked the sponsors and professionals who made the event possible and also recalled the importance of the recent official declaration of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. He asked all to say a prayer for the peace of Jerusalem and of the world.
Rabbis Shemtov and Director Cohn then proceeded to light the National Menorah despite great difficulties presented by unprecedented high winds and freezing temperatures, to the delight of the thousands present. According to news monitoring services, tens of millions viewed the event via TV news and other internet and social media.
Thousands of hot latkes, donuts and free menorah kits and guides were distributed to the crowd after the lighting. Organizers also offered to send a free menorah kit, while supplies last, to anyone who requests one at info@nationalmenorah.org Since the event, requests for menorahs have come in from across the US, literally from coast to coast.
The National Menorah is a privately funded initiative. To learn more and to support, visit nationalmenorah.org.
Rabbi Levi Shemtov and Rabbi Avraham ShemTov great job