Chabad Community Center Throws Annual Chanukah Festival, Hopes To Spread Joy And Light

The Chabad Community Center in Oklahoma City is throwing its annual Community Chanukah Festival this weekend.

The festival features the lighting of the largest menorah in Oklahoma as well as activities for all ages, such as face painting, magic acts, circus acts, music, and a tasting of cultural Jewish food. Edgar Cruz is going to be performing traditional Jewish songs and Hanukkah songs.

Rabbi Goldman joined the News 9 team to talk more about the event.

He said the festival honors Hanukkah by spreading a message of hope, faith, light and unity

"That's what they're going to experience at this festival. It's a lot of joy for the children of age and for the child within each of us," Goldman said.

Goldman said the event is open to the public and they welcome people of all faiths to join as a sign of unity and solidarity.

"The most effective way to fight divisiveness, disunity, or forces of evil and negativity is always to increase light to bring light and joy," Goldman said.

He said there will be hot potato latkes, a traditional Jewish food, served at the festival, which he said is one of his favorite traditions.

"The greatest thing is to sit together with family and friends and spin the dreidel and eat the hot potato latkes," Goldman said.

He hopes people will find joy and light in the festival, especially during a hard time for Jewish people all over the world.

"In times like this is when we are reminded in the story of Hanukkah," Goldman said. "We're in tough times; we're in challenging times in the world at large as well. And again, the most effective response to that is unity and love."

Goldman said the Chabad Community Center has received an outpouring of support from Oklahomans and hopes the festival will bring more of that.

"We've experienced tremendous love and unity from the community, and we hope that people come out to show that solidarity and that love," Goldman said.

The event is on Sunday, Dec. 10, from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

For more information on the festival, visit their website.