Celebrate Chanukah At Arlington Heights' Menorah Lighting Sunday

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — For the fourth year, Arlington Heights will light a menorah to celebrate Chanukah — but this season, it will look a bit different than it has in years past.

The menorah lighting, sponsored by the Chabad Jewish Center of Arlington Heights, is on Sunday at 3:45 p.m. at North School Park. Mayor Tom Hayes and village officials will light a new "Shining Light Art Menorah," which officials said will be a necessary message of hope.

Participants will be able to design part of the Art Menorah, officials said, with the goal of creating a "mosaic covered in hundreds of drawings depicting people doing good deeds, spreading light to the world."

Chaikie Kotlarsky, co-director of the Chabad Jewish Center, came up with the menorah's design, officials said.

"The design will show how doing mitzvot brings people of different backgrounds together to bring more light into the world," Chaikie said. "We will be hearing from various community members about projects that they were involved with during this past year, and I look forward to hearing them share about the impact that they made in the world."

The menorah lighting is free and open to the entire Arlington Heights community — both children and adults — and the celebration will also include live music, Home Depot Menorah Kits, Chanukah games, free giveaways, and complimentary hot potato latkes and soup.

Attendees are asked to register for the event online here or by calling (224) 357-7002. Every registered member will receive a free souvenir, officials said.

"The light of the Menorah teaches us that the best antidote to darkness is to shift our energy and focus into bringing more light to the world," Rabbi Yaakov Kotlarsky of the Chabad Jewish Center said. "Every Mitzvah and act of goodness and kindness that we do, makes all the difference in lighting up the world and making it a better and more G-dly place."