By COLlive reporter
The largest-ever Menorah parade to celebrate Chanukah will head out from 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights to New York City today.
The parade is being dedicated in memory of Ari Halberstam, to commemorate the fifth night of Chanukah when Ari’s killer was found guilty of his murder. “On the fifth night of Chanukah, we add more lights than are not lit on the Menorah. Today also is when Ari got justice, and light prevailed over darkness,” organizer Mordy Hirsch said.
Organizers inform that today is the busiest day of the year for gridlock in Manhattan with hundreds of thousands of pedestrians in the streets.
They remind parade participants – safety is a priority.
With over 300 cars registered to be part of the parade, in addition to 60 Mitzvah tanks, the parade will be almost a mile long, they said.
Organizers say that it is ok if the parade gets interrupted in the middle and ends up with a few smaller groups of cars and tanks. “It’s the same pirsumei nissa. People should use common sense and do not rush and drive at high speeds, to join the others or catch up.”
Also note: cars in the parade should not pull into the left lane, that is for NYPD use only.
Please find the full route map below, and follow it at a regular pace, they said.
The parade will leave at 5 PM sharp from Kingston Avenue and Eastern Parkway and will conclude on 5th Avenue at the World’s Largest Menorah, lit every night of Chanukah by Rabbi Shmuel Butman of Lubavitch Youth Organization.
The parade is taking place with the assistance of community activist and NYPD liaison Devorah Halberstam, NYPD Brooklyn South, 71 Precinct and 71 Pct. Commander Inspector Joseph Hayward, the NYPD Highway Patrol, as well as Deputy Inspector Richard Taylor, Chief of Community Affairs for the city, Sergeant Mike Baratta and Lt. Ira Jablonsky.
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Full Route:
-North on Kingston Ave until Eastern Parkway
-West on Eastern Parkway going by 770 Until Grand Army Plaza
-Continuing down Flatbush Ave until Manhattan Bridge
-Lower Level on Manhattan Bridge
-Once off the bridge continue on to Canal street
-West on Canal until 6th ave
-North on 6th ave until 59th street
-East on 59th st until 5th Ave
-South on 5th Ave until 23rd st
-Parade ends on 5th and 23rd
Passing by the world’s largest Menorah
