Out of cold and darkness the warmth of a flame.
A small gathering of community members braved single-digit temperatures Saturday evening for the second annual menorah lighting ceremony, held at the northwest corner of Kenilworth Avenue and Green Bay Road.
The event, hosted by Chabad of Wilmette and sponsored by the Village of Kenilworth and the Kenilworth Park District, was originally the idea of Kenilworth residents Amit and Joanna Naftali.
Seven candles were lit on Saturday night, in celebration of Hanukkah, which this year was held from Dec. 18 through 26.
The event, hosted by Chabad of Wilmette, and sponsored by the Village of Kenilworth, and the Kenilworth Park District, was originally the idea of Kenilworth residents, Amit and Joanna Naftali.
Rabbi Moshe Teldon of Chabad of Wilmette — Center for Jewish Life and Learning says one of the lessons of Hanukkah is not allowing circumstances to define you. While we may find ourselves in the dark, we cannot allow that to define us, we have to create light and allow that light to overcome the darkness.
“The best location we found in Kenilworth was the Green Bay Road location, but there was no electricity, so we had to be resourceful and generate light even when there was none,” Teldon said. “So the light would last, we found bulbs that could be charged to last 6 hours unplugged, and that became the Kenilworth Menorah.”
Johnathan Kiwala, executive director of the Kenilworth Park District, said within the Park District ideology is the belief that everyone should have access to public property for community celebrations.
“For the menorah lighting we got on board, wanting to provide the location and support our valued relationship with Rabbi Teldon and Chabad Wilmette,” Kiwala said.
Amit and Joanna Naftali have lived in Kenilworth for over 10 years, and say it is a welcoming and tight-knit village where everyone knows their neighbors.
“In past years we attended lightings in neighboring towns, and we wanted to create a similar cultural experience for the small Jewish community in Kenilworth,” Amit Naftali said.
According to Naftali, an outdoor menorah lighting seemed optimal in 2021 because of the pandemic. Rabbi Moshe Teldon of Chabad of Wilmette was instrumental in sourcing a large menorah for the village — and through the generosity of both Jewish and non-Jewish friends and neighbors — necessary funds were raised to purchase it.
Naftali says, the Village of Kenilworth, the Kenilworth Police Department, and the Kenilworth Park District, in particular Johnathan Kiwala, were all extremely helpful in making this annual event possible, Naftali says.
More Top Picks Epson Ecotank Et 2800
“As a community, we are especially proud to host the 2nd annual menorah lighting in Kenilworth, celebrating Hanukkah a festival of lights together, a symbol of liberty and the triumph of light over darkness,” Naftali said.
Gina Grillo is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.