World’s Most Caring Menorah

The fourth grade class of Cheder Lubavitch Hebrew Day School in Chicago, together with their teacher Rabbi Avraham Varnai, has an annual tradition of creating a unique Menorah project for the holiday of Chanukah. The emphasis is on teaching the students to spread the light and warmth of Chanukah outwards. Even after the eight days of Chanukah are over, the light and the warmth of this special project continues on.

It is with this idea in mind that Kitah Daled built the ‘World’s Most Caring Menorah.’ Fourth grade joined together with an organization in Israel called “Yad Lagiborim” also known as Chabad’s Terror Victims Project. One of the main focuses of this organization is to be there for children who have either suffered themselves in a terrorist attack or who have lost a loved one, G-d forbid, in a terrorist attack.

The students of fourth grade worked very hard in the weeks leading up to Chanukah to encourage their families, neighbors and friends to write personal and meaningful cards and letters to children in Israel who have suffered through terrorist attacks. Over 20 schools, day schools and Hebrew schools joined in the effort of writing cards and collecting funds to buy gifts for the children in Israel. The cards came in, mostly from the Chicagoland area and as far away as California, Texas and even Canada! Over 1000 cards were brought in! All the cards were filled into a giant Menorah standing over 8 feet tall!

On Wednesday, in honor of the second night of Chanukah, over three hundred people came together at Cheder Lubavitch to witness the lighting of the World’s Most Caring Menorah. In attendance was the Head Shliach to the State of Illinois, Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz, as well as the Mayor of Skokie Illinois, Mr. George Van Dusen. Following Chanukah, the cards and the money will be shipped to Israel to be distributed to children in need.