Festival of Lights
CRANBERRY TWP — The menorah will once again be lit in the township to celebrate Hanukkah. Organizers also hope it will bring people of various backgrounds together.
The oversized menorah will be lit at the front of the Cranberry Township Municipal Center at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 19, followed by live entertainment and refreshments. This is the fifth year for the celebration, put on by the Cranberry Jewish Community Association and the Chabad of Butler County.
It's a time for people of Jewish faith around the county and region to gather, as well as others from across the area, who want to learn more about Judaism, said Jack Cohen, event coordinator.
“Everybody is welcome. That's how you get to know people,” Cohen said. “It's wonderful. To learn about other people takes a lot of issues away from what you might not know about them. You learn to become friends with people from all across the world.”
Hanukkah is an eight-day celebration that marks the duration of the menorah flame following the destruction of the Jerusalem temple, according to the Cranberry Township website. A small vessel of lamp oil was found, but only with enough oil to keep the menorah lit for a single day. Somehow, though, the oil burned for eight days, leaving just enough time for new oil to be found.
The first night of Hanukkah is Dec. 12. It ends Dec. 20. It is established each year according to the lunar Hebrew calendar.
Cohen said it's not one of Judaism's sacred holidays, but it is a happy occasion for people to get together and celebrate Jewish history.
The Hanukkah celebration also serves as a way to keep a Jewish presence in the community and bring people together who may not have a religious community in the area, Cohen said. There are not any synagogues in the Cranberry area — the closest are in Butler, Ambridge and Allison Park, he said.
“It's a nice way to meet other folks and also to let them know that there's other folks of the same religion here,” Cohen said.
The event usually draws between 75 and 100 people, with some coming from Beaver County, the North Hills and Pittsburgh.
To celebrate Hanukkah, one additional candle on the menorah is lit after dark each night. The 9-foot-tall menorah in Cranberry will be lit in full Dec. 19 because it is the second to last night of the holiday. The large menorah is provided by the Chabad of Fox Chapel Jewish Center.
Traditional foods cooked in oil will be served at the celebration in Cranberry, like potato latkes and jelly doughnuts, to remind people of the miraculous oil of Hanukkah.
The public event is free. Guests are encouraged to bring their families and invite friends to experience the holiday.
