“Unity in the Community.” Wasilla celebrates Chanukah Lighting with a new Menorah

Chanukah, also known as the “Festival of Lights” is celebrated over a period of eight consecutive nights. Jews around the world gather with family and friends to light one additional candle in the Menorah—a multi-branched candelabra—to celebrate the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem in the 2nd century BC, after a small group of Jewish fighters, called the Maccabees, liberated it from occupying foreign forces.

Against all odds, a small band of faithful but poorly armed Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, defeated one of the mightiest armies on earth, drove the Greeks from the land, reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and rededicated it to the service of God. This became known as the first miracle.

When they sought to light the Temple's Menorah, the Maccabees found only a single small jar of pure olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks. With the oil, they were able to light the menorah, and that one-day supply of oil lasted for eight days. The second miracle.

To commemorate and publicize these miracles, the sages instituted the festival of Chanukah.

At the heart of the festival of lights is the nightly menorah lighting. The menorah holds nine flames, one of which is the Shamash (“attendant”), used to light the other eight candles.

This is the 10th year that the Menorah lighting has been held at Newcomb Park next to Wasilla Lake, the Menorah large enough for drivers passing along the busy Parks Highway can spot it, with some even honking in support of the celebration.

“That signifies what Wasilla is-we’re all about unity. It doesn’t matter to us what your religion is, we are a community and we are about unity in the community.”

This year’s lighting is significant for two reasons. The first is that it celebrates the brand new, locally-made 20-foot Menorah, built local artist Patrick Garley.

It is also being dedicated to former Wasilla Mayor, the late Bert Cottle.

“Bert Cottle was the one who gave us permission to put up the menorah here 10 years ago when we moved to town. He was always encouraging to us,” Rabbi Mendy Greenberg told those in attendance.

“This is special because it’s dedicated to Bert,” said Wasilla Mayor Glenda Ledford before the lighting of the 2nd candle of the Menorah on December 26. “He had a special relationship with the Rabbi. And I think this is just great that they are dedicating this to his memory.”

As is the tradition within Judaism, the candle is a mitzvah, meaning good deeds, and torah is light, and as Rabbi Greenberg told the audience, there is a universal message that holds as much power and meaning today as it did those 2000 years ago-that light will always triumph over the darkness.

“When we light the Chanukah candles, we light them when it begins to get dark…There is physical light and there is spiritual light. There is physical darkness and spiritual darkness,” he said. “The message of Chanukah is when we are faced with physical darkness, with spiritual darkness, the best way, the most successful way to combat that is by lighting a candle of positivity, of goodness and holiness. Not to fight, not to grapple with the darkness, not to grapple with the negativity, but focus on the positive, to do a positive deed, to do goodness and kindness. “

During the gathering, attendees were invited to have homemade latkes and hot chocolate, and despite the cold and wind, and in true Alaskan form, it required a hydraulic lift to light the Menorah. The celebration was capped off with the Rabbi tossing gold-wrapped candies to the children below, as a symbol of the Maccabees’ victory, charity, and gratitude.

This year, the Festival of Lights runs until January 2.