Covington Mayor Joseph Meyer joined Chabad of the Bluegrass Monday to light a public Chanukah menorah at the Government Center in preparation for the eight-day holiday. The annual ceremony is part of a week of festivities all across the Commonwealth.
“The menorah serves as a symbol of light and hope for us today, as it did for generations before us,” said Rabbi Shlomo Litvin. “The flames of the menorah shine out into the night, reminding us that even when confronted with much darkness, a tiny light can dispel it all. Another act of goodness and kindness, another act of light, can make all the difference.”
The Menorah Lighting is part of celebrations each day of Chanukah across the Commonwealth, including Menorahs at the University of Kentucky, Triangle Park, Summit at Fritz Farms, and the Chabad at UK Jewish Student Center. Government Officials will also light Menorahs in Richmond, Shelbyville, Somerset, Georgetown, and Versailles. Each event will feature a local leader joined by the Rabbi in celebration of Chanukah and the Message of light.
The menorah lighting is part of the worldwide Chanukkah campaign launched by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, in 1973. The campaign highlights and encourages the central theme of the holiday—publicizing the story of the Chanukah miracle and the victory of light over darkness, a message of hope greatly needed today.
In the decades since the Rebbe’s Chanukkah awareness campaign began it has revitalized widespread observance of the Festival of Lights and brought it to the mainstream, returning what some have mistakenly dismissed as a minor holiday to its roots as a public proclamation of the ultimate triumph of freedom over oppression.
This year’s global campaign will see Chabad reach 8 million Jews in more than 100 countries. With safety measures limiting many in-person gatherings, Chabad will erect some 15,000 large public menorahs, which will be seen by millions on streets and public squares around the world, including in front of landmarks such as the White House, the Eiffel Tower, and the Kremlin.
To find a local event in Kentucky, or practically anywhere throughout the world, visit the international Hanukkah event directory at www.Chabad.org/HanukkahEvents.
For more information about Hanukkah and a local schedule of events visit Chabad.org/Hanukkah .
Chabad of The Bluegrass