'Candles and Candles' solidarity gathering planned to renounce hate crimes

Event to be held in conjunction with Daniel Island Chanukah Celebration Dec. 8

This year’s 7th Annual Daniel Island Chanukah Celebration will be of special meaning to the local community. It will be a happy event to celebrate the miracle of Chanukah in the history of Jews. It will also be a time for the entire Daniel Island community to show their solidarity against anti-Semitism and hate crimes against anyone, no matter their gender, color, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.

The Chanukah Celebration, led by Rabbi Greg Kanter of Charleston’s historic Reform Jewish Congregation KKBE, will take place on Saturday, Dec. 8 beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the entrance gate of the Family Circle Tennis Center. This event is free and open to the entire Daniel Island community and persons of all faiths are encouraged to attend.

As is tradition, the celebration will end with Rabbi Kanter explaining the meaning of Chanukah and then lighting the menorah. Chanukah, The Festival of Lights, celebrates the victory of the Jews over a tyrant king in the 160s BC and the rededication of the Temple. As the story goes, a one day quantity of oil to re-light the Temple’s menorah (candelabra) miraculously lasted for eight days. The modern day Chanukah menorah has eight arms representing the eight miracle days plus a ninth arm which is used to light the other candles.

Since the Chanukah miracle involved oil, it is customary to eat foods fried in oil. Therefore, our Chanukah celebration will serve up potato latkes (pancakes) garnished with applesauce and sour cream, plus fried jelly-filled doughnuts. There will be the traditional “dreidels” (a four-sided spinning top) for the kids to spin, plus live music provided by Black Tie Music Academy.

The celebration will culminate at sundown (approximately 5:15 p.m.) with the lighting of a candle on the menorah and blessings by Rabbi Kanter.

‘CANDLES AND CANDLES’

Following the menorah lighting, there will be a “Candles and Candles” event to denounce hate crimes. Rabbi Kanter and other local church leaders will speak out on this matter as attendees light electronic candles that will be distributed to remember the killing of 11 Jews at worship at The Tree of Light Synagogue in Pittsburgh last month and the nine victims of the tragic shooting at Charleston’s Mother Emanuel Church several years ago.

“This gathering promises to be a special evening for all—a chance for us not only to celebrate and share this wonderful Jewish holiday of Chanukah, but also to unite as a community in speaking out against those that spread hate,” said Fred Danziger, the Chanukah Celebration committee chair. “We must stand together because of the healing that it promotes and the message that it sends. I encourage people of all ages and faiths to attend.”

“The tragic events in Pennsylvania last month underscore the opportunity at the December 8th Chanukah celebration for Daniel Island residents of all faiths to come together in unison to show our support and respect for all lives lost due to senseless bigotry and hate,” added Jane Baker, vice president of community services for the Daniel Island Property Owners Association. “ Our community faced a similar challenge after the Mother Emanuel tragedy and it was so uplifting to see our entire city come together.  I hope in that regard that Daniel Island residents take the opportunity at ‘Candles and Candles’ to make a similar statement against all hate crimes.”

Participating in the “Candles and Candles” ceremony, in addition to Rabbi Kanter, will be Pastor Jonathan Bennett of Church of the Holy Cross on Daniel Island, Pastor Paul Sorensen of Daniel Island Fellowship, and Pastor Chris Hamil of The Church at Seewee Bay in Awendaw.

Accommodations have been made in case of inclement weather. This is a rain or shine event. For additional information, please contact Fred Danziger, committee chairman, at fred.danziger13@gmail.com.

Ron Silverman is a Daniel Island resident and member of the Kahal Kadosh Beth Elohim congregation. He also serves on the Daniel Island Chanukah Celebration Committee.

Daniel Island Publishing

225 Seven Farms Drive
Unit 108
Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Office Number: 843-856-1999
Fax Number: 843-856-8555

 

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