MENORAH IN THE D TO HONOR METRO DETROITERS in its 9TH YEAR

Menorah in the D is pleased to announce the 9th annual downtown Detroit celebration of the Festival of Lights will take place Sunday, Dec. 22, starting at 430 p.m. in Campus Martius Park. Family activities will take place from 430-5 p.m., followed by the official public lighting of a larger-than-life steel and glass menorah at 5 p.m. Thousands of children, families and individuals from Oakland, Wayne and Detroit will gather for the communitywide menorah lighting to mark the first night of Chanukah. The menorah was designed and built by artists (and brothers) Erik Nordin and Israel Nordin of Detroit Design Center in Corktown

To commemorate the ninth annual event, EIGHT individuals will be recognized as Torchbearers. The honorees were nominated by members of the community and selected for the light they bring to those around them.

Representing the Gilbert Foundation and his family Dan and Jennifer Gilbert’s son, Nick Gilbert will join a group to bring light to the Menorah. The younger Gilbert, 22 years old, is known as the Lucky Charm to the Cleveland Cavs the NBA team owned by his father, Dan. Nick suffers from neurofibromatosis, which causes tumors to grow anywhere on the body at any time. Last year, he successfully underwent brain surgery to help temper the condition, for which he and his family have become prominent spokespeople for. The committee sees Nick’s positive attitude and kindness as something to emulate.

Other Torchbearers include Ryan Hertz, MSW, President & CEO Lighthouse. When Hertz was honored as a Crain’s 40 Under 40, he expressed his passion to share best practices among the nonprofits using the crowdfunding campaign benefiting homeless services agencies.

“We take strength from the menorah, always increasing in light, as the best possible way to combat the darkness that swirls around us,” said Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov, Spiritual Director and founder of The Shul- Chabad Lubavitch in West Bloomfield. "The menorah being placed in the heart of the City of Detroit is a reminder to us all that we should continually work to illuminate the world around us. With that in mind, the other Torchbearers share that spirit of shining light in the Jewish community through their work. “Like a flaming candle, all you need to do is touch another person with an act of kindness and sincerity and their flame will be ignited as well. One candle at a time, one soul at a time, the world becomes a brighter, warmer place.”

Jessica Katz, a fellow with the The Ralph I. Goldman Fellowship (RIG) in Global Jewish Leadership through The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee; Itty Nina Yahalomi, Senior Community Shlicha and Federation’s Community Outreach Developer which assist in building bridges between Israel and the Detroit community; Gary Sikorski, Director of Community-Wide Security, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit; Joey Roberts, supporter of Friendship Circle. (names available at this time).

In past years over 3000 people have been a part of the celebratory event. The Menorah in the D is a family-friendly celebration free and open to the public, featuring:

• Strolling street performers, face painting and balloon sculpting
• Marshmallow roasting pits, complimentary snack bar including KIND bars, hot soup and cider, plus a Kosher food truck with food for purchase
• Glow in the dark giveaways, mitzvah station and more!
• The event is hosted by The Shul - Chabad Lubavitch West Bloomfield, in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and Chabad of Greater Downtown Detroit along with generous support from Gilbert Foundation, DTE Energy, Beaumont and various other sponsors.

“The DTE Energy Foundation is passionate about making a positive impact in the communities where we live and serve, and we’re proud to support this magical evening,” said Lynette Dowler, president of the DTE Energy Foundation. “Events like these are so important to our community and that's why our team makes them such a priority. For the past two years, the DTE Energy Foundation has sponsored more than 150 of these events statewide and we look forward to continuing this tradition.”

The activities and entertainment during the Jewish family festival, and Menorah Lighting Ceremony are FREE! The snacks and hot cider during the Menorah Ceremony are FREE! The Food Truck has food for sale.

To learn more, visit menorahinthed.com.

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About The Shul - Chabad Lubavitch

The Shul is a warm and welcoming home for all Jews - no labels, no affiliations. It is a place to develop a sense of community, to enhance the experience of being Jewish, to learn and to have fun. The Shul appeals to all segments of the Jewish community by offering a wide range of activities for adults, children and the whole family. For more information, please visit www.Theshul.net

About Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit

The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit is the cornerstone of our Jewish community and is committed to taking care of the needs of the Jewish people and building a strong and vibrant Jewish future in Detroit, in Israel and around the world. For more information about Federation, please visit, www.JewishDetroit.org.

About Chabad of Greater Downtown Detroit:

Serving the people who Live, Work, Play and Give in the Greater Downtown Detroit area, Chabad in the D is a growing Jewish family at the heart of our city. Jewish life is celebrated with joy, passion and spiritual meaning, and shared through classes, lectures and communal events.