22 December 2011
Children from a local Jewish day school troop to City Hall for the
traditional lighting of the menorah.
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| Photo courtesy of Laurie Tahir |
About 30 students from the Conejo
Jewish Day School gathered at Agoura Hills City
Hall on Wednesday morning for the traditional lighting of the
menorah.
The yearly City Hall event marks the start of Hanukkah, Judaism's
Festival of Lights.
City Council members led by Mayor John Edelston, Mayor Pro Term Denis
Weber, Ilece Buckley Weber and William Koehler joined the students and
school staff.
This is the school’s 11th year celebrating the lighting of
the menorah at City Hall. Different grade levels come every year,
according to teacher Miri Peck. This year, third-, fourth- and
fifth-graders were in attendance.
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| Photo courtesy of Laurie Tahir |
Rabbi Moshe Bryski of the Chabad
of the Conejo presided over the important Hanukkah ritual. “This
holiday is about religious freedom,” he told the students.
“It’s about change that we now enjoy since the time our forefathers
were around,” he said. “The City Hall venue is symbolic because it means
everyone in Agoura can practice their religion and the seat of
government recognizes that.”
Hanukkah commemorates the historic victory of the Maccabees, a small
group of resistance fighters who defeated the Syrian-Greeks and restored
Jewish sovereignty.
The eight-day festival is signified by the nine-branch candelabra
called the menorah. Eight candles are lighted from a central candle
called a shamash.
Edelston and the City Council members were given a candle each as the
students sang Hanukkah songs.
Rabbi Eli Broner talked about the Conejo Jewish Day School's theme of
“attitude of gratitude.”
He said, “Go out in the community, do someone a favor and show you
care.”
Before heading back to school, the students enjoyed a much-awaited
traditional Hanukkah treat of jelly doughnuts.
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