Governor Joins for Capitol Menorah

California Governor Jerry Brown joined Chabad today for the 18th Annual Capitol Menorah Lighting on the West Steps of the California State Capitol in Sacramento, CA.

Today’s event marked the first of Chabad’s over 1,000 public Menorah lightings that will take place throughout the state over the coming 8 days of the Festival of Lights.

During the ceremony, Governor Brown spoke of his personal encounter with The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, and proudly announced that the second bill that he signed during his first tenure as Governor of California was the legislation that helped Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, director of West Coast Chabad-Lubavitch, to launch Chabad’s nonsectarian drug and alcohol treatment center in Los Angeles.

“I am a great admirer of The Rebbe, Rabbi Schneerson, and have witnessed the growth of Chabad-Lubavitch—or the ‘Lubies’, as we affectionately called them—in our state over these 40 years. And today I’m here, together with them, to talk about it. This is truly a Chanukah miracle,” said Governor Brown. “In the 1990s, The Rebbe blessed me to become a president. Perhaps my return as Governor is what he meant,” said the Governor.

Rabbis Mendel Cohen, director of Chabad of Sacramento, and Rabbi Zushe Cunin joined Rabbi Chaim N. Cunin in presenting a “Menorah of Freedom” on behalf of Chabad of California to Governor Brown and the People of California, and invited Governor Brown to visit Chabad’s treatment center on an upcoming trip to Southern California. Chabad’s treatment center, established in 1972 with the help of Governor Brown, is preparing to celebrate its 40th anniversary of helping people recover from the shackles of drug addiction.

Governor Brown compared the story of Chanukah to present-day solar and renewable energy efforts. “What a wonderful time to celebrate Chanukah, and the Festival of the Lights, and the whole idea that we’re running out of oil so we need a miracle,” Brown said to laughter and applause. “We are going to reduce significantly the amount of money we’re sending over to the Middle East to some very dangerous characters who do not have our best interests in their heart.”

Sacramento Mayor and former NBA star Kevin Johnson came to bring his holiday wishes and to show support for Chabad. He announced his plans to participate in a “Score for Chabad” fundraiser for the 2012 Chabad Telethon, scheduled to broadcast nationwide in September.

The holiday ceremony featured a special musical performance by Grammy Award winning Pacific Boychoir, under the musical direction of Kevin Fox, who performed a heart-warming rendition of Maoz Tzur. At the conclusion of the celebration, the Governor distributed traditional Chanukah chocolate coins to children in attendance; donated toys and food was given to guests, who were encouraged to share them with needy children.

Chabad is the largest network of educational and social services under Jewish auspices on the West Coast. Its representatives have joined with the Governor of California each year since 1994 to illuminate the Capitol Menorah at the California State Capitol in Sacramento.