With the catchphrase, “Because COVID can’t cancel Chanukah” Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet set out to bring the lights of Chanukah to his community in Mill Hill. He ordered an eight foot menorah, arranged for it to be strapped to the back of a flatbed truck, connected up some speakers and had it driven to twelve different neighbourhoods over three nights of Chanukah.
Rabbi Schochet said: “At each stop we lit the menorah, played music and had clowns distribute donuts to the adults and goodie bags to the kids. I was astounded as to how many people turned out at each stop! We handed out over a thousand donuts and more than five hundred kid’s bags over the three nights. It was beyond all expectations!”
He added, “We were obviously concerned about compliance to COVID regulations and the police did follow us around on the first night, but they were satisfied that people kept to their bubbles and maintained appropriate distance.”
“Necessity is the mother of invention. While we always had great Chanukah events each year, this year forced me to think out of the box. Ultimately it took Chanukah to a whole other level.”
In the words of one of the participants: “It’s really been the light we have all needed.”
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May you go from strength to strength.