“First-of-Its-Kind Hanukkah Celebration Sends Powerful Message in Menlo Park, CA”

It was less than 24 hours after the news of a horrifying attack at a similar Menorah lighting in Sydney’s Bondi Beach reverberated around the globe when Menlo Park’s Jewish community gathered in Fremont Park to light the Menorah. Together, those assembled had the victims across the ocean in mind and prayed for them to find healing and comfort. The message of the Menorah has always been the resilience of light, and its message could not have been more relevant for a day which bore such difficult news.
The celebration on the first night of Hanukkah, arranged by Menlo Chabad, was a new experience for the city, as is the local presence of a Jewish center.
Founded a little over a year ago by Rabbi Dovid and Esty Geisinksy, who moved from Brooklyn, NY with their daughter Luba, Chabad is Menlo Park’s first Jewish center. In the short times since its founding, Menlo Chabad has bolstered the community through a diverse lineup of events and programming, exemplifying the Menlo Park Jewish community’s recent growth. With more than 200 attendees, the Menorah lighting represents the largest Jewish event held to date in the city, further testifying to the development and vibrancy of Menlo Park’s Jewish community.
Families with small children, senior citizens, and young adults, both those with Jewish backgrounds and those from other faiths, filled the park to show support, watch the ceremony, and to grab a Hanukkah treat. The sounds of the traditional blessings and Hanukkah music filled the air, and the smells of donuts and latkes, traditional Hanukkah foods, drifted through the park. To top it all off, the singular candle marking Hanukkah’s first night shone brightly, a beacon of hope in a sea of uncertainty.
Members of the Menlo Park Police Department and San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office were present to ensure that the gathering was safe and welcoming. MPPD Chief of police, David Norris and his wife, Nicole, were honored with lighting the menorah, using the shamash, or the helper candle, which was lit by Todd and Carol Maybach. Special thanks is due to school district representative Paige Winikoff, Shira Ronen, and Karen Orzechowski, who all worked to publicize the event and bring the community together.
“The event was a powerful display of unity and pride in the expanding community and the connections it fosters," shared Rabbi Dovid. To Rabbi Dovid, the attack in Sydney was deeply personal. A cousin of his was present at the attack in Sydney, where he shielded his young daughter from gunfire. Two of the victims were Rabbi Dovid’s colleagues in the worldwide Chabad movement which tends to view itself as a big family. “The whole experience was inspiring and incredibly encouraging,” he added. “After all, Chanukah is a joyous holiday, and the only way to counter negativity is with happiness and connection.”
For more information or to connect, please visit www.Menlochabad.com or email info@menlochabad.com