By COLlive reporter
Photos by Baruch Ezagui
Thousands gathered once again on the Ellipse – President’s Park South, in front of the White House in Washington, DC to celebrate Chanukah with American Friends of Lubavitch.
The National Menorah was lit by White House budget manager Jack Lew and Chairman of Agudas Chassidei Chabad International Rabbi Abraham Shemtov.
“Miracles only happen when people put their minds to it and do their part,” said Lew, the highest ranking Jewish official in the Obama administration. “It’s getting dark but when we see the light, we know there is hope.”
Rabbi Levi Shemtov, Executive Vice President of American Friends of Lubavitch and the Shliach to Washington, emceed the evening. “It’s the victory of light over darkness, of right over might, of justice over tyranny,” he said.
Three world acclaimed cantors were on hand to sing Chanukah songs – Yaacov Motzen, Yaakov Lemmer and Jeffrey Nadel as musical director, accompanied by “the President’s Own” – United States Marine Band.
Hot latkes, donuts, Menorah kits and dreidels were given out to the participants who annually come from around the capital and neighboring cities in Maryland and Virginia. Julius Genachowski, Chairman of the FCC, was in attendance.
The winners of the National Menorah Essay Contest, a nationwide challenge among Jewish elementary schools in memory of Rabbi Mendy Deren OBM, were announced and welcomed to the stage to read their composition.
Rafael Shifren, a fifth-grader from Chabad Hebrew Academy in San Diego, read his winning essay on the holiday. He said Chanukah represents “the right of religion, the right to be free.”
A second winner, Dahbra Erlbaum from Cheder Chabad in Philadelphia pointed out how Chanukah in Hebrew has the numerical value (gimatria) of 358 – the same as Moshiach.
COLlive broadcast the event.
VIDEO: Raw footage from AP
look in the 6th photo, you’ll see the white house CLEARLY
but where is the white house?
impressed
moshiach now
where is the elipse exactly in reference to the white house building?
love u!!!!!!!!!!
dreidel man was awesome star of the show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For the great weather!! We owe You one.
Is so proud or Dahbra!!!
Well done.
Zalmy Dubinsky and…MENDY SHAPIRO!!!! Keep it up
wonderful pictures of an amazing event
it gives one hope for the future to see that this can be done in a world full of so much darkness
and here is light being shared
Thank you Baltimore Shluchim for sending the most awsome Bochrim to this great event
Thanks for keeping the podium safe!!!!!!!!!!
who is the dreidel guy?????????
For some reason I always love watching photos of this event. Keep it up
In the times of the Beis Hamikdash you had to IMAGINE the neshomos of Klal Yisroel being ignited each time the Menorah would be lit. With the Rebbe’s public Menorahs you don’t have to imagine…
Every year, more and more yidden all over the world come to be part of the lighting of these holy flames that serve to light up the last moments of darkness of Golus and to burn down the remnants of the Golus walls.
Eliezer
Yummy doughnuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Way to go Rafael Shifrin. You were great!
keep up the good work Zalmy D!
love the photo with menorah hat and big menorah . nice!!!
go baltimore bochurim
what a kiddush hashem
9-2
thanks for the hook up it was a very nice event
in france, its just finish…. chanukah sameach to all the jewish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!