EASTHAMPTON — The first night of Hanukkah was ushered in Sunday with the lighting of a 6-foot electric menorah on the lawn of the city’s Municipal Building and a ceremony held at Nashawannuck Pond.
The ceremony marked the sixth year a group of residents came together to celebrate the Jewish holiday with a candle lighting by the pond, including one year held virtually.
“In a time of so much darkness, I am always overjoyed to see so many people joining together to bring light to defy the darkness around us and to chase away the darkness within us,” Owen Zaret, who serves as an at-large member of the City Council, said in a statement. “We are at our best together, making ourselves stronger by sharing light with the world.”
For the past few years, Zaret, who coordinates the annual event held at Nashawannuck Pond, said he and his fellow members of the Jewish community have been looking for a way to include more representation of Hanukkah in the city. The eight-day celebration, often referred to as the “festival of lights,” commemorates the rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees after their victory over the Syrians, and is celebrated with the lighting of the menorah, sharing of traditional foods, games and gift-giving.
Nora Gorenstein, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Western Massachusetts, said she became involved in the discussion during the COVID-19 pandemic via the Jewish Community of Easthampton Massachusetts’ Facebook group. The Jewish Federation supports the Jewish community through organizations and synagogues as well as informal groups and events in Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties, she added. Berkshire County has a separate Jewish Federation.
Through those discussions, Gorenstein announced Friday at the Jewish Federation’s annual meeting that the organization was able to secure a $3,500 grant to purchase the 6-foot outdoor menorah for Easthampton.
The grant funding was provided from Shine A Light, a national initiative that spotlights modern-day antisemitism. The initiative uses positive community outreach, particularly in connection with the story of Hanukkah to champion the message that one small light can dispel darkness and hatred, according to Gorenstein.
“The intention is for us to celebrate Jewish life and culture in a way that proactively works to prevent antisemitism,” she said. “It also offers a way for us to come together with other partners in the community including non-Jewish organizations to shine a light on bigotry and prejudice for all people, not just Jewish people. We have experienced some of these incidences and continue to feel impact of antisemitism … This is yet another way we can be visible and stand for what we believe in.”
Several of the cities and towns with a larger population of members of the Jewish community already have menorah lighting ceremonies, including Northampton, Amherst, Holyoke, Longmeadow and Springfield.
“We’re glad that Easthampton can be part of this tradition as well,” she said. “Bringing this physical light in Easthampton provides a visible and wonderful reminder of Hanukkah.”
When Zaret approached Mayor Nicole LaChapelle about having a menorah on the lawn of the Municipal Building, LaChapelle said that an agreement was never in question.
“A community driven acknowledgment of each other’s faith, ethnicity and culture is what Easthampton strives to make a space for anytime we can,” LaChapelle said in a statement.
During Sunday’s celebration in Easthampton, Zaret said he spoke of the parallels between the story of Hanukkah and the Maccabees, and the current conflict in Ukraine “where a Jewish president is defending his homeland against invasion.”
He also noted that the city has been very welcoming of Jewish traditions and offered gratitude to the Jewish Federation for the donation of the menorah, which will be used annually as part of the eight-day celebration.
“The lessons of Hanukkah extend deep into the secular world: lessons of hope, perseverance, and miracles against overwhelming odds,” he said.
This year’s event was well-attended by members of the Jewish community and the larger community as well as local and state officials, including state Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield.
“It was wonderful to join city officials, members of the Western Massachusetts Jewish Federation, and Easthampton residents for the community’s menorah lighting ceremony on Sunday on Nashawannuck Pond,” Velis said in a statement. “It is great to see our community coming together to celebrate Hanukkah and I am grateful to all of the groups who have made this year’s holiday celebrations possible.”
Hanukkah, which began on Sunday night, ends on the evening of Monday, Dec. 26. Additional Hanukkah events held in the Valley are available at jewishwesternmass.org.
Emily Thurlow can be reached at ethurlow@gazettenet.com.
