By Rachel Kurland, jewishexponent.com
Sitting in your car bumper to bumper on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway isn’t always a gridlocked traffic jam. Sometimes it can be a parade.
On Monday night, an estimated 700-plus people jammed out to Chanukah tunes while waiting to embark on an almost 3-mile car menorah parade — starting at the Parkway near 22nd St. and ending at Independence National Historical Park — led by Lubavitch of Greater Philadelphia.
Billed as the world’s largest car menorah parade, this event was the largest yet, according to Lois Yampolsky, administrative assistant at Lubavitch of Greater Philadelphia and coordinator of the parade. She estimated more than 300 cars filled the streets.
The parade ended with sufganiyot, dancing and a giant menorah lighting by Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, the regional director and lead rabbi of Lubavitch of Greater Philadelphia. In 1974, Rabbi Shemtov was the first rabbi in the world to publicly light a menorah, according to Yampolsky.
Now with the parade in its 11th year, she said she still prefers to be on the sidelines rather than in the parade itself. Yampolsky waited on Market Street for the cars to drive by, each with four glowing bulbs on top. It’s a strong statement, she said, and gives her goosebumps every time.
“It’s so powerful to see all of those cars with lit menorahs — I can’t even describe it,” she said.
That image sends a message, she said: “You can try to get rid of us, but you can’t — we’re stronger than ever.”
Chony Milecki DJ’ed the event and led the parade in the first car with a loudspeaker system attached to the back.
He got the crowd energized with contemporary Chanukah pop remixes of the dreidel song, Matisyahu and Adam Sandler’s “Hanukkah Song,” as well as singing some tunes live while playing the keyboard.
Milecki, originally from Australia and now based in New York, often uses the musical truck to welcome new Torahs to the community. This was his fifth time performing at this event.
“We’re trying to bring the message of Chanukah to the entire Philadelphia,” he said. “The best part is just seeing how the message of Chanukah, of bringing light, is such a universal message.
“Everybody who watches the parade and everybody we pass, Jewish or not Jewish, just get into the spirit immediately. People are smiling, people start dancing. And that’s really what we’re trying to show today.
“[Chanukah] is not just a Jewish message,” he continued. “It’s a message that we can bring light and we can bring peace to the world. All you have to do is shine a little bit of light, and that gets rid of the darkness. You don’t have to fight it with swords or war or rockets. The best way to fight darkness is light.”
Keep up your great work! Hatzlacha, Moshiach Now!!