Over 400 people gathered on an uncharacteristically warm Sunday night in Downtown Bethesda, Maryland, to take part in a wonderful Chanukah event.
Towering over the crowd, a monument to freedom of religion and utter deliciousness, stood a 10ft Giant Menorah sculpted entirely from over 100lbs of dark chocolate.
The annual Chanukah Family Spectacular organized by the Chabad Center of Bethesda with support from Federal Realty Investment Trust – managers of Bethesda Row – features a giant Menorah with a unique theme as the centerpiece of the festivities, and this year was no different. The celebration and the yearly Menorah are the brainchild of Rabbi Sender and Nechamie Geisinsky, co-directors of the Chabad Center. Over the years they have produced giant Menorahs made of ice, Legos, balloons, jelly beans, and even one last year made of bagels.
Each year however, reports Rabbi Sender, the requests would invariably come in for a Menorah made of chocolate. This year the Rabbi and his wife determined that they would deliver on the sweet demands. After much planning, trial, and error, the results made it all worth the effort. The giant Menorah was quite a sight to behold. It may not have been the first chocolate Menorah ever produced, but in all likelihood will prove to be the largest. The enthusiastic reception of the assembled revelers confirming that they too appreciated this special Menorah.
Along with the kindling of the chocolate Menorah, those in attendance were treated to a fire juggling show, hot latkes, and jelly donuts. The children had a chance to participate in the chocolate theme by crafting their very own chocolate candy. The end of the event was punctuated with an exclamation point as a motorcade of limousines adorned with car-top Menorahs passed by, conveying the members of multiple chapters of Chabad’s Cteen program on their way to celebrate a regional Chanukah party.
“This has become a yearly tradition for our family,” said Leslie Eckstein – a Bethesda resident, there with her 4 year old daughter Emily, “we thought that a Bagelnorah was as creative as it gets, but this Menorah is really cool, I wonder what they’ll do next year!”
“The goal is to bring as many people out as possible to participate in the message and pride of this special Holiday,” said Rabbi Sender Geisinsky, “this Menorah has definitely drawn a lot of attention and hopefully has reminded everyone how sweet a message it is!”
The Chocolate Menorah was eventually brought back to the Chabad Center where it will be melted down and shaped into candies which will be distributed to shelters around the Greater Washington area, continuing its positive mission. As to what kind of Menorah they will make next year, Rabbi Sender and his wife have not really that about it yet. But they say they are open to suggestions.
YOU GOT IT DOWN PAT!!!!!!
PS. I WISH I WAS THERE TO HAVE A TASTE OF THIS SCRUMPTIOUS MENORAH USED FOR A MITZVAH!! KEEP ON ELEVATING THE CHOCOLATE AD EVERYTHING AROUND IT!!!!!!!!! WHAT BETTER TO MAKE A BRACHA ON?!?!?!?!
Looks AMAZING!! So cool! Love it! Your family should have lots of continued happiness and simcha on your shlichus!