Illumination serves as theme of South Hills Lights Chanukah celebration
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Rabbi Mendel Rosenblum of Chabad of the South Hills prepares to light the menorah set up at the Galleria of Mt. Lebanon.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Dressed-as-dreidels Mendel Hoexter, left, and Nochum Rosenblum dance to the music.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Jules Coulson, left, and Shua Hoexter perform with Chillent during the South Hills Lights Chanukah celebration.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Sruli Broocker plays harmonica for Chillent.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Ariana Spolter, 3, enjoys the festivities.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Shua Hoexter performs with Chillent, which released an album called “Jewish Soul Stew” this year.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Rabbi Mendel Rosenblum speaks about providing light for the world.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Sophie Cervi colors “Happy Hanukkah” as an activity provided at the celebration.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Gedaliah Aronson plays his Epiphone for Chillent.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Ryan Kantner plays his Fender bass for Chillent.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Eric Matlock plays keyboards for Chillent.
The snow that could be seen falling outside the windows of the Galleria of Mt. Lebanon served as an appropriate backdrop for what Rabbi Mendel Rosenblum had to say.
Before making the menorah candles shine during the fifth annual South Hills Lights Chanukah celebration on Dec. 12, Rosenblum told a story related to him by another rabbi who ventured into the cold of Alaska, “to bring the light and joy of Judaism to some of the very remote towns.”
In one of the most secluded outposts, he visited the local school, where one student informed him that her mother was Jewish. In turn, he told the youngster:
“Every hour, women and girls across the world light their Shabbat candles, until here, in this town in Alaska, you are the very last time zone, the place where the last group of women and girls light the Shabbat candles,” the rabbi said about the tradition at the start of each week’s day of rest.
Harry Funk / The Almanac
Rabbi Mendel Rosenblum lights the menorah during the South Hills Lights Chanukah celebration.
“And since you and your mom are the only ones who are Jewish in this town, you represent the entire world as the last person to light the Shabbat candles before each Shabbos comes in,” he continued. “I want you to remember the responsibility you have each week to light the Shabbat candles, because your light matters to the whole world.”
Rosenblum, who is director of event organizer Chabad of the South Hills in Mt. Lebanon, explained the significance.
“I share this story because we live now in a very dark world, with many frightening things that are happening, and Chanukah represents light,” he said. “We begin with one candle, and we begin by lighting up our own homes. And then from lighting up our own homes, all of our lights begin to gather together, and we light our communities. We light up the city of Pittsburgh,” and beyond to the rest of the world.
“And nobody should underestimate the power of their light, the light of their Menorah, but also the light that you bring into this world by doing a mitzvah,” or good deed. “Every little mitzvah that you do, every way you touch another person, is a light that matters, and that light begins as a small, little light, and it continues to grow, like the menorah.”
By Harry Funk
Staff writer
hfunk@thealmanac.net
Chillent performs at the South Hills Lights Chanukah celebration.
Because Dec. 12 is this year’s second day of Chanukah – the eight-day festival of lights, often spelled “Hanukkah” – Rosenblum proceeded to light a pair of menorah candles. He also lit the shamash, the candle situated in the center of the menorah and above the others.
The celebration, which South Hills Jewish Pittsburgh co-sponsored, featured music by Chillent, a Squirrel Hill-based band self-described as a “one-of-a-kind ‘soul stew’ of Jewish-flavored funk, jazz, rock and blues.” Home Depot supplied menorah kits and guidance in assembling them for youngsters, along with other activities.
For more information about Chabad of the South Hills, visit www.chabadsh.com.