Downtown Schenectady will be a bit brighter on Sunday thanks to the Chanukah On Jay celebration.
Set to start at 2 p.m. in front of Schenectady City Hall, the event is presented by more than 25 local Jewish organizations and includes a menorah lighting, as well as food, artwork, music and a BMX show.
It’s the second year of the celebration, which is all about drawing people together, according to organizer Rabbi Zalman Simon of Bethlehem Chabad.
“The idea is to get people to come together as a community to celebrate Chanukah and to share the message of Chanukah, which is a really universal message. That’s why Chanukah is a unique Jewish holiday because all the other Jewish holidays we celebrate in our home. But Chanukah specifically . . . is celebrated in public space,” Simon said.
Sunday marks the first day of the holiday, which runs through Dec. 26. Also known as the Festival of Lights, it dates back thousands of years and commemorates the recovery of Jerusalem and the rededication of the Second Temple by the lighting of candles on a menorah on each day of the holiday.
At the festival, the menorah will be a spectacle in itself, stretching to 12 feet tall.
“It brings attention to the message and the holiday,” Simon said. “The message of Chanukah is to spread light . . . which naturally dispels darkness.”
This year’s Chanukah On Jay will be slightly different from last. It’s a bit shorter, running for about an hour and a half. The gelt drop – where chocolate coins are dropped from a height and children run to collect them – will be presented differently, though exactly how is a surprise.
There will also be artwork on display as part of “Shine a Light Creative Arts Gallery.” It will include pieces of creative writing, photos and videos submitted by people all over the Capital Region that reflect on antisemitism and what it means to them.
When it comes to food, there’ll be plenty of sweet and savory snacks, including donuts and latkes.
As of Wednesday, organizers were expecting at least 500 people to attend.
“Just the mere fact that the community is coming together for one positive common cause, celebrating a Jewish holiday, that itself is worthy of putting on the event. There’s power in numbers, power in community coming tother, especially now, [when] there’s so much divisiveness,” Simon said.
He hopes that attendees will be inspired by the celebration to make a difference in the community.
“Even if it’s something seemingly insignificant or small, it really isn’t. They can make an impact by helping another person, by doing a good deed and by adding more light. If 1,000 people [attend] if that’s the takeaway, imagine the impact in our community,” Simon said.
To RSVP to the event and for more information visit chanukahonjay.com.
Categories: Email Newsletter, Life and Arts, Life and Arts, Schenectady
