Chabad Lubavitch Congregation Lights Haddonfield Menorah

A year after a six-foot high menorah erected by Chabad Lubavitch was stolen from in front of the Haddonfield Library, members of the synagogue celebrated the fifth night of Hanukkah by moving into the light in Haddonfield Wednesday night.

Chabad Lubavitch Synagogue of Cherry Hill rabbis presided over a brief, 6 p.m. ceremony, attended by two dozen people and the three borough commissioners, and spoke of the significance of holding the event on the fifth day of Hanukkah.

"Last year we had an unfortunate incident here in Haddonfield, and we specifically chose tonight and there's a reason for it," said Rabbi Mendel Mangel. "The fifth night of Hanukkah takes us from more dark to light. We felt this was the community we should show more caring and more light."

The congregation quickly replaced it with a larger menorah the next day. The stolen menorah was found three days later on the side of Elizabeth Haddon elementary school a few blocks from the library.

Rabbi Yitzchok Kahan of Chabad Lubavitch said Wednesday they regarded the theft last year as an "isolated incident" and didn't expect it would happen again. This is the eighth year Chabad Lubavitch has erected a menorah in Haddonfield. There are no synagogues in the borough.