Allaire Community Farm Adds 30-Foot Dreidel To Holiday Lights

WALL, NJ — Allaire Community Farm is a nonprofit animal sanctuary that also offers programs for members of the special needs community.

But at the holidays, its Christmas Light Spectacular takes over the farm for everyone to see.

And the holiday tradition pays homage not only to Christmas but to Hanukkah as well.

Christmas and Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, intersect this year, with Hanukkah running Dec. 18 to 26. Christmas is, of course, on Dec. 25.

This year, the owners of the farm, JoAnn and Sean Burney, wanted to do something special for the Jewish holiday.

"We researched it and we think we have the largest lit dreidel," says JoAnn Burney, a co-founder and executive director of the farm.

She said she and her husband read that the largest had been a 25-foot dreidel in Margate, Fla. Their display is 30 feet - definitely no "little dreidel," as the children's song recalls.

But regardless of the size, it's the spirit behind it that counts.

She said last year's display was very successful and included, apart from Christmas themes, a Star of David and a menorah.

"We really wanted to do something special for our Jewish friends who support the farm all year long," she said.

She said the farm has a very large following from Jewish communities in Brick and Deal and Lakewood, so she hopes this will add to the attraction.

The Allaire Community Farm website explains the Christmas Light Spectacular. It is a fundraiser for the sanctuary farm, that was founded in 2013. The farm is at 1923 Baileys Corner Road in Wall and not visible from the road, Burney note.

Anyone interested can go to the website to sign up for the light show, she says.

There are twinkling lights surrounding the farm that can be viewed from its tractor-pulled holiday wagon. Tickets are $17 for anyone over age 2 and must be purchased online. No walks ups will be accepted. Christmas plants, baked goods, hot chocolate, hot cider and more will also be available for purchase inside the market.

Burney said the display will be accepting visitors through Dec. 23, but she notes the petting zoo is now closed until April.

"This is our winter fundraiser," she adds - and all for a good cause:

Allaire Community Farm's mission is to "rescue animals to rescue people of all ages," its website says.

"Our focus population is special needs individuals, teens with mental health issues and local families battling cancer in our community," the site says.

The farm offers pre-employment education programs for the aged-out special needs populations that can hopefully lead to meaningful and purposeful employment.

The farm also offers equine and animal therapy for those in the community with special needs, anxiety, depression and PTSD.

On top of all that, its initiative is to bring together urban and suburban students to learn the importance of healthy eating and organic gardening practices.

Visit the farm website and learn more about the farm and sign up for the light show.