Menorah Lighting on Green But Chanukah Festival Goes Inside

Rabbi Avremel Caroline addressing the crowd at the menorah lighting for the first night of Chanukah (Carolyn Koslen/Key News)

More than 100 neighbors of various ages and faiths turned out Sunday when the Chabad of Key Biscayne celebrated the first night of Chanukah on the Village Green. 

After the lighting of the holiday menorah, activities moved to the basketball court at the Community Center for traditional foods like latkes and not-so-traditional entertainment like BMX bicycle stunts.

“We had a lot more people than usual. Being at the Community Center really helped,” said Rabbi Avremel Caroline, whose plans to hold the entire event outside were derailed by threatening weather. He used social media, email and WhatsApp to broadcast the change.

A few umbrellas were at the ready when Mayor Mike Davey climbed the ladder to light the Shamash, the middle candle from which the other eight candles in the Festival of Lights are lit. The honor of lighting the first candle went to Frank Caplan, Key News publisher, former mayor and a prominent member of Key Biscayne’s Jewish community. Another candle will be lit each night, the last on Dec. 29.

Frank Caplan had the honor of lighting the first candle for the first night of Chanukah (Carolyn Koslen/Key News)

Later guests noshed on potato latkes and sufganiyot, sugar-dusted jelly donuts often served at Chanukah. Both latkes and sufganiyot are traditionally fried in oil, symbolizing how enough oil for only one night in ancient Israel miraculously lasted for eight. Gold-wrapped chocolate coins were handled out to represent the “gelt” (Yiddish for money) shared with friends and family. Jewish residents of Key Biscayne provided live music, and arts and crafts were on display. The big draw was Rob Nolli’s BMX Trickstars, a popular attraction at Florida Chanukah festivities that travels with its own ramp.

Chanukah celebrations traditionally take place in private homes and in synagogues, but public celebrations are uniquely American.

“In the last half century, it has become an American tradition,” said Rabbi Caroline, who grew up on Key Biscayne. “It gives the community an opportunity to recognize all the beautiful messages of Chanukah, not only dispelling darkness but bringing greater light.”

Public observances are traced to 1974, when Rabbi Abraham Shemtov of Philadelphia’s Chabad-Lubavitch Center lit a small menorah in front of the Liberty Bell at the Independence National Historical Park.

This year’s transplant of Key Biscayne Christmas decorations to the Reflecting Pools area in the Civic Center left the Chanukah Menorah standing alone on the Village Green, not that Rabbi Caroline minded. 

“The beauty of the menorah is that it doesn’t depend on other surrounding decorations,” he said.