Photos: Shmuel Amit
The 39th Annual South Florida Chanukah Festival took place the second night of Chanukah, Monday, December 3, at Gulfstream Park and Casino in Hallandale Beach.
The Festival featured this year, the King of Jewish Music, Avraham Fried, Live In Concert, and the most popular Jewish musical duo, 8th Day.
Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus, Chabad’s Executive Vice President, continued the nearly four decade old tradition, of having Free Admission for one and all at the Festival.
Ever since the Festival moved to Gulfstream in 2007, crowds of 10,000 people and more have participated. This past Monday night was no exception, with police (who had a very strong presence at the Festival) reporting over 10,000 people joining in the festivities at three breathtaking levels of Gulfstream, which had the glamour and excitement, as one Festival goer said, of Disney and Cirque du Soleil combined.
Chabad of South Broward Headquarters holds the distinction of hosting and sponsoring the World’s Largest Annual Chanukah Festival for the past 39 years. Tens of thousands of people, from all walks of life, have participated at these Mega Chanukah Festivals, broadcast live around the world via Chabad.org.
The Chanukah Festival also featured Cantor Rabbi Yossy Lebovics, lighting Florida’s Largest Menorah with scores of community dignitaries and leaders, including US Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, Hallandale Beach Mayor Joy Adams and the Hallandale Police Chief. Also present at the Chanukah Festival was Rabbi Abraham Korf, Head Shliach to the State of Florida, who literally danced the night away.
The Broward County Commission, the City of Hallandale Beach and the City of Hollywood, all issued Proclamations in honor of the Festival “to increase in acts of goodness and kindness for 117 days, to hasten the arrival of Moshiach and peace in the world.” The 117 days started Erev Yud Tes Kislev, November 26, 2018, and concludes on Shushan Purim, March 22, 2019.
The Chaya Aydel Seminary students distributed real Chanukah Gelt, Chocolate Gelt, Dreidels and gift packages to 2,500 children in attendance.
Rabbi Tennenhaus reminded the thousands at Gulfstream and the tens of thousands watching the live broadcast that throughout the year, the lights of the Menorah continues with the light of Torah taught at the thousands of Chabad Houses throughout the world, that is unparalleled in the Jewish world, both in quantity and in quality .
Rabbi Tennenhaus concluded, “Every year the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson (1902-1994) gave us a blessing for our Chanukah Festival. One year, the Rebbe gave us a blessing that: The Chanukah Festival should grow each year like the lights of the Menorah grows each night.
“Thanks to our generous sponsors, the 39th Annual Chanukah Festival was the biggest and best in our nearly 40 year history.”
Both Avraham Fried and 8th Day shared their sentiments that this was the liveliest Chanukah Festival they ever participated in.The dancing went on for some ninety minutes non stop!
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Wow this looks like a really nice concert the main thing is you all have a good time at that’s the most of Port thing I would like to wish the Florida Community and happy Chanukah
Love u!