Mitzvah Video Contest in Curitiba

The weather was gorgeous, and hundreds of people joined, as the giant Menorah carefully erected in a pool of water – by the office of the Mayor – at the “Praça 29 do Março” was lit for the 26th time in Curitiba. Brazil.

Also, this year, for the first time the holiday of Chanukah, and the festivities of Chabad in the city square, became part of the official City Calendar through law nº 13.736, signed by Mayor Luciano Ducci at a special Breakfast on October 4th of this year with Rabbi Yosef Dubrawsky director of Chabad in Curitiba and members of the Jewish Federation.

The event was also the culmination of the iLight contest – a special contest to increase awareness of Mitzvot, and how every Mitzvah brings light in to this world. The symbol of the contest is a doughnut with a flame on top.

Participants were asked to submit a video clip of up to three minutes, how they are doing a Mitzvah by themselves or with their family.

The final ten clips were shown at the annual Grand Chanukah Menorah lighting in the center of the city, and the judges Victor Hertz, Andre Segall, Rogerio Oliveira announced the winners.

There was a special 3D arts and crafts prepared for the children by Mrs Kutzi Segall, a military band, and lots of Chanuakh spirit.

The First Prize winners were Deborah and Gabriel Benzecry who won an iPad 2! Their clip was about the power of Mitzvot. The second prize was a handheld flip video camcorder won by the Schotgues brothers, who put together a clip in a humorous fashion, of how they helped distribute tens of Chanukah candle boxes that the Chabad house distributes (with the help of all organizations in Curitiba) to hundreds of families every year before Chanukah. The third prize a digital camera was won by Thais Jacobson who made a clip about Baal Tashchit.

“Every Participant is really a winner,” announced one of the judges. “With Mitzvot you can´t go wrong.” Every Mitzvah brings eternal light into this world, bringing Moshiach closer. All participants received a special prize.

Some iLight videos: