Boy’s Test Tube Menorah

Chabad of Orange County held its annual grand Chanukah party, renting out Colonial Lanes in Chester for a “Mad Science Chanukah” event.

Duvy Burston, the 10 year old son of Rabbi Pesach and Chana Burston, directors of Chabad of Orange County, initiated and directed the world’s first Test Tube Menorah.

With the help of many volunteers and more than 250 celebrants gathered around, the Test Tube menorah was assembled. Atop a tray with dry ice creating a lab-like effect, the large tubes were first filled with water, after which fizzing color tablets were added – making each candle-tube a different color. Then, olive oil was mixed in, which, of course, rose to the top. Floating wicks were then added, making the menorah ready to be lit.

With a Tesla coil, Goshen Mayor Kyle Roddey then lit the shamash candle.

“Just as a shamash is a servant to the menorah, the mayor is an assistant to the community, thus it is befitting that the ‘human shamash’ light the menorah’s shamash!” Rabbi Burston explained.

Adults then lit colored flame candles from the shamash candle. Members of the Chabad Board lit the menorah candles, followed by a special Chanukah Choir Presentation by students of Chabad Hebrew School.

The event also featured a hot buffet dinner, latkes, donuts, dreidels, Cosmic Bowling, Mad Science Chanukah arts and crafts and ended with a spectacular Mad Science Chanukah Combustion Show.

Many celebrants expressed how inspired they were with the creativity of a young shliach who worked so hard to make his community’s Chanukah that much brighter.