Community Corner
Hundreds Defy Rain, Celebrate Fifth Night of Hanukkah
Chatsworth, Northridge and Porter Ranch chabads continue tradition of celebrating holiday on lawn of Porter Ranch Town Center.
Lights, music, food, dance and prayer.
That's the tradition of Hanukkah, an eight-day Festival of Lights honoring a second-century B.C. rebellion of a small band of Jewish fighters who retook their country, culture and temple from the ruling Syrian Greeks.
In the Jewish religion, the nightly kindling of lights during Hanukkah represents the miracle of God turning one day's worth of oil left behind in a defiled temple into eight days of light.
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And for the seventh year, the Chatsworth, Northridge and Porter Ranch chabads hosted holiday festivities on the lawn of the Porter Ranch Town Center at Rinaldi Street and Corbin Avenue late Sunday afternoon.
Hundreds of men, women and children munched on traditional foods cooked in oil like potato latkes (pancakes) and jelly doughnuts, while others joined hands in joyous dances and watched as the menorah candles were lit despite a downpour at that very same moment.
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"This is a chance for us to stand together as one community and spread the light of the menorah and stand proud of being Jewish," said Nechama Spritzer, the wife of the Chatsworth Chabad's rabbi.
Sunday was also a chance for the Hebrew school choir to sing two Hanukkah songs, and like most small children, some forgot the words and others sang off-key, but their pride in their religion and delight in Hanukkah showed on their faces.
Suzie Marco, a 13-year-old Heschel Day School student and Chatsworth resident, said she's been to the corner Hanukkah celebration for five years.
"I like that anyone can come and experience what Hanukkah is about," Suzie said.
Her mother, Connie Marco, added that many people Suzie sees in the community, such as other dance class students and shopkeepers, also attended.
"She is recognizing their faces as we light candles as a community. It's nice," Marco said.
