A warm glow filled the room Sunday night as the Sholom B’Harim Jewish congregation gathered in Gainesville to celebrate Hanukkah with song, prayer, and community.
About 45 people attended the celebration at Sholom B’Harim Jewish congregation as families marked the eight-day festival, which ends Monday at sundown. Hanukkah (or Chanukah) commemorates the Jewish military victory over the Seleucid Empire in ancient Israel in 164 BCE.
Participants lit a chanukiya, the special Hanukkah candelabra, adding one candle to the menorah for each night of the holiday. The crowd sang traditional songs, recited prayers, and enjoyed friendly contests for the best Hanukkah sweater and best latkes—traditional potato pancakes served during the festival.
Children and adults also took part in holiday crafts and worked together to make and send cards to U.S. troops stationed around the world, adding a note of gratitude and connection to the evening’s celebration.
