Synagogues across York Region adapt Hanukkah celebrations amid COVID-19

Drive-in celebrations being offered to gather the community

Yorkregion.com
Dec. 7, 2020
Alieen Zangouei

The Jewish festival of Hanukkah is around the corner and, this year, there are many ways you can celebrate as a community.

Amid the coronavirus pandemic, many things have changed, including the ways we can celebrate the holidays that mean most to us.

The Jewish community has accommodated the ways in which Hanukkah is celebrated as a community, to keep the spirits of this year’s celebrations lively.

The Aish Thornhill Community Shul located at 949 Clark Ave. W., will be hosting a drive-by Hanukkah party this year.

Rabbi Avram Rothman of the Thornhill Community Shul said this year’s celebration has never been more important.

This year, the synagogue has been hosting twice the amount of community activities to give more opportunity for them to connect during these times.

“Since we can’t physically connect as many, we try to do so twice as much with less physical interaction,” Rothman said.

This year, packaged doughnuts, cookies and a dreidel will be handed out to every car that attends the Hanukkah party.

Each car will be given two packages so they can give one to another friend or family. This free event will be on Dec. 13 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the synagogue’s parking lot.

Hanukkah celebrations looks different for Chabad Newmarket as well; however, Rabbi Mendy Grossbaum said he’s looking forward to seeing faces he hasn’t seen in a long time.

Pre-pandemic, Chabad Newmarket would host a menorah lighting at the Riverwalk Commons on Main Street. “We had a large participation in the past couple of years, and this year we want to keep the tradition,” Grossbaum said.

The goal of hosting a drive-in this year on Dec. 13 at the Ray Twinney Recreation Complex parking lot was to resist going virtual like most things are, and to keep the traditions of getting together alive.

A live band will be playing music, a circus drummer will be there approaching cars to add a personal entertainment touch to the evening, and the lighting of the giant menorah will take place. The menorah will then be placed at Upper Canada Mall.

Attendees will receive a package when they drive in, which includes potato pancakes, doughnuts, and other fun Hanukkah activities.

“Many people at this time are locked up, and we wanted to do this not only to continue a tradition, but to provide an existing Hanukkah event for the community,” Grossbaum said.

“We thought the holiday of Hanukkah was a great opportunity to get everyone together in a safe environment, and celebrate together. That’s what it’s all about,” Grossbaum said.

Hanukkah dates back more than 2,000 years. According to a report on Marthastewart.com by Roxanna Coldiron, a band of Jews, led by Judah Maccabee, defeated its Syrian oppressors in a hard-fought battle. As the Jews reclaimed their temple and lit the golden candelabrum, their only supply of oil, which should had run out after one day, miraculously lasted for eight days.

This adds significance to the celebration of lighting the menorah, which literally signifies and publicizes the miracle and brings light and warmth to the streets during the cold winter, Grossbaum said.

Chabad Newmarket has also dedicated this year’s celebrations to fallen David Hayman, a well-known singer who died in May due to heart failure.

Grossbaum said Hayman was a great driving force in every year’s Hanukkah’s celebrations with his music talent and enthusiasm.

“He put his heart and soul into planning Hanukkah celebrations, to give us the best experience that we possibly could get,” Grossbaum said.

Rabbi Yossi Vorovitch of Georgina Chabad Jewish Centre of Georgina located at 1 Richmond Park Dr., said this year they have also thought of a creative approach in celebrating safety with the community.

Typically, they would have the public menorah lighting at Jackson’s Point, but this year, due to COVID-19, a drive-in will be held at the Georgina Ice Palace.

“Everyone will be in their cars, and will be able to participate in their vehicles and watch the screen for the menorah being lit in a safe manner,” Vorovitch said.

A seven-foot-tall menorah will be placed on a pickup truck driving throughout the community so people in their homes can also view the holiday cheer.

“People need a sense of connection, unity and pride, especially this year so that’s why we did not cancel,” Vorovitch said.

Hanukkah gifts will also be handed out, including oily foods such as jelly doughnuts, which Vorovitch said commemorates the miracle of oil.

“The idea of the oil is that when you add it to your food it makes it more flavourful -- so it’s like oil is spiritual, and when we add it to our lives, it makes it more tasteful and significant,” Vorovitch said.

“This is a time of illuminating darkness over light.  This year we are spreading the light of kindness, unity, in a safe manner,” Vorovitch said.

There are a number of ways to celebrate Hanukkah safely as a community across York Region amid the pandemic.