Menorah is lit in Shrewsbury to mark the start of Hanukkah

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Menorah is lit in Shrewsbury to mark the start of Hanukkah

Rabbi Michoel Green watches as John Lebeaux, the chair of the Shrewsbury Board of Selectmen lights the menorah located on the Shrewsbury Town Common.

By Melanie Petrucci, Senior Community Reporter

Shrewsbury – In spite of light drizzle and fog, several dozen people were on hand at sundown on Dec. 2, to commemorate the first night of Hanukkah and to light a menorah that was erected on Shrewsbury’s Town Common. Hanukkah (alternately spelled “Chanukah”) is the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights.”

The brief but heartfelt proceedings were once again led by Rabbi Michoel Green from Chabad of Westborough. Officials in attendance noted that the ceremony was especially poignant in light of anti-Semitic events that occurred recently in other parts of the country.

“On behalf of the Board of Selectmen of the town of Shrewsbury, [fellow Selectman] Beth [Casavant] and I are proud to be here as we celebrate the first night of Hanukkah. We have to continue to light the light,” remarked John Lebeaux, the chair of the Board of Selectmen.

“Instead of fighting darkness with a stick all you got to do is light the light. Even with one single light of Hanukkah you can banish all darkness,” noted Green.

Casavant added that Shrewsbury is a “wonderful community because people in town honor and recognize diversity.”

“This is a wonderful opportunity in light of all that is happening in the world and the violence against the Jewish community to show that we stand as one,” she stated.

After Lebeaux led a blessing, he lit the first candle on the menorah.

Green informed those in attendance that they will be lighting the menorah every night of Hanukkah at about 4:30 p.m. and encouraged those interested to attend. On the final night of Hanukkah, Sunday, Dec. 9, they hold a ceremony to light the menorah located in the rotary in downtown Westborough.

Menorah is lit in Shrewsbury to mark the start of Hanukkah
Residents and officials from Shrewsbury join Rabbi Michoel Green from Chabad of Westborough at the menorah lighting held on the Shrewsbury Town Common.

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