Dazzling Garden of Chanukah Lights Delights Crowd in Markham

One of the most vexing questions on the mind of every Chabad rabbi this time of the year is what new creative idea can they come up with for their annual Chanukah lighting especially if they have been doing similar Chanukah programs for the last 20, 30 or 40 years?

Enter the Garden of Chanukah Lights. A brand-new refreshing original concept with which was presented this year in conjunction with the annual Chabad Markham Chanukah lighting ceremony.

This is how it unfolded. On Sunday night, the first night of Chanukah, hundreds of people arrived at the front terrace of Chabad facing the main street and they were blown away by what they saw. There in front of their eyes was a one-of-a-kind Jewish Garden of Lights replete with sparkling lights and Chanukah signs and characters lighting up the night.

In the center was a food court with round decorated tables interspersed with hot dog booths, hot Cocoa, assorted hot soups, sufganiyot and beer stations. In the background, there was soft Chanukah music creating just the right atmosphere. Further up was a town square with a village glassblower preparing little Chanukah trinkets and Menorah and an arts and crafts table with Chanukah art specialties that was prepared for the kids. The snow was falling but no one worried because the outdoor heaters were circulating warm air and an indoor warmup center was opened for the elderly.

Then right in the center of the courtyard was a beautiful Menorah all ready to be lit, adorned with a beautifully illuminated sign.

The children arriving felt so special to be in this little cozy shtetel where everything was Jewish and Kosher in stark contrast with everything else transpiring this time of the year in every shopping mall and public gathering space! And so were the adults.

One hour into the program everyone was called to gather around the Menorah for the lighting ceremony. The blessings were sung by Rabbi Meir Gitlin and the enthusiastic crowd joined in with singing and waiving the outdoor light up wands in unison!

Rabbi Avraham Plotkin introduced the dignitaries and politicians who spoke about the power of light to dispel the darkness. Greetings were read by the deputy Mayor Michel Chan on behalf of the Mayor and council.

The feedback received was amazing. Everyone said that this program really made them feel great about being Jewish and that we should adopt this format on an annual basis.

Thank you to Rabbi Meir and Esther Gitlin for coordinating the program together with Yossi Berktin, Rabbi Avraham and Rebbetzin Goldie Plotkin. Thank you to the many volunteers who gave their time and expertise to make this event so successful.