Joburg’s Jewish seniors are getting ready for the Chanukah holiday season with Chabad’s annual Seniors Chanukah Extravaganza as well as their Menorah distribution programmme. In launching the Chanukah campaign Rabbi Ari Kievman stated, “During this festive family holiday, many seniors experience a sense of isolation. Our goal is to make them feel involved, to strengthen pride in their Jewish heritage and to encourage them to revel in the holiday of Chanukah and mostly importantly to let them know that they’re not forgotten. Chabad will have available ready-to-go Chanukah kits which include a Menorah, candles, dreidel and holiday “how-to” guide. This initiative is sponsored Chabad House-Miracle Drive as part of their holiday awareness campaign. The Chanukah Extravaganza takes place on Tuesday, 3 December at Chabad House, 27 Aintree Avenue in Savoy at 11:30am. It will be a fun-filled event a full course delicious lunch, an Olive Oil Press interactive workshop, fabulous entertainment with captivating violinist Kristel Birkholtz, educational classes, as well as a special video presentation. During the eight-day festival, which begins this year on Wednesday evening, 27 November, Chabad will host many events for the entire community. In addition, Rabbi Kievman plans to dispatch many Yeshiva students to the multitude of senior facilities in the city to bring joy to all the seniors who cannot attend the extravaganza function. The Yeshiva students will bring menorah, doughnuts and other holiday treats to seniors throughout Joburg during the entire festival of lights. Among other messages, the Menorah, a symbol of light dispelling darkness, serves as a symbol of South Africa’s dedication to preserve and encourage the freedom of all its citizens to practice their religion free from restraint and persecution. In a country that experienced an era of darkness and now vigorously protects the rights of everyone, the Menorah takes on profound significance, embodying both religious and constitutional principles. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, recalls the victory more than 2,000 years ago of a militarily weak but spiritually strong Jewish people, over the mighty forces of a ruthless enemy that had overrun ancient Israel and sought to impose restrictions on the Jewish way of life, prohibit religious freedom and force the Jewish people to accept a foreign religion. During the occupation of Jerusalem and the Temple, the Syrian Greeks desecrated and defiled the oils prepared for the lighting of the Menorah, which was part of the daily service in the temple, and rendered them unfit for use. Upon recapturing the Temple, the Jewish people found one lone jar of undefiled oil, enough to burn only one day, but it lasted miraculously for eight days until new, pure olive oil was produced. Ever since, in commemoration of this event, the Jewish people celebrate Chanukah for eight days by lighting an eight-branched candelabra known as a Menorah. The Menorah is placed on a window or a doorpost facing the outside in order to publicize the miracle, with its message of hope and religious freedom, to all. Today, to people of all faiths, the Chanukah holiday serves as a symbol and message of the triumph of freedom over oppression, of spirit over matter, of light over darkness. To locate a Chanukah lighting and Chanukah events on other campuses, or practically anywhere throughout the world, visit ChabadSouthAfrica.org/ChanukahEvents. # # # For more info, please contact Chabad House 011-440-6600 or Rabbi Ari Kievman 079-434-1293 [email protected]
Posted on: Thu, 21 Nov 2013 11:04:21 +0000
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