Town Park menorah lighting
The Jewish community in Marin marked the holidays this season with an unprecedented event: the lighting of a 9-foot menorah in Corte Madera’s Town Park.
The ceremony was led by Rabbi Mendel Misholovin, executive director of the fledging Chabad of Corte Madera. It opened in July.
About 40 people turned out for the Hanukkah ceremony on Dec. 13. Misholovin and Mayor Eli Beckman lit the candles.
“It was beautiful,” Misholovin said. “The weather was rough but we had a good turnout. … People showed up with their umbrellas, masks and kept their social distance.”
Beckman said the menorah lighting held a greater significance for the Jewish community
this year because there has been a rise of anti- Semitism and hate crimes toward Jewish people in Marin, particularly anonymous social media posts against Jewish students at Redwood High School and a man posting swastika stickers in Fairfax.
“I am Jewish myself so I think it was meaningful for folks to see their mayor lighting the menorah,” he said. “Especially in this climate of the Trump era, where we’ve seen a rise in anti- Semitic attacks and hate crimes against Jews and he doesn’t speak out against it.
“You want to make sure in a climate like this that we are not letting the community be scared into hiding,” he said. “It’s important to be visible and say we are here. We are a part of the community. We are neighbors, friends, and we are not going anywhere.”
Misholovin said while it has been a challenge to congregate throughout the pandemic, he is thankful for everyone who showed up to celebrate Hanukkah.
Since the pandemic prompted social restrictions in March, he said, other long- established chabads in Marin have been providing social and spiritual support for the community with Passover Seders, Rosh Hashana shofar in the park and Shabbatin-a-box deliveries.
Now the Chabat of Corte Madera is doing the same for surrounding community, Misholovin said.
“Over the last few months we’ve been visiting homes a couple days a week with some packages for Shabbat,” he said. “We’ve reached hundreds of homes in the last two months and the response has been amazing.”