Hanukkah menorah lit in Wilton Center

WILTON — Wilton Center was buzzing Monday evening for the annual lighting of the menorah to celebrate the start of Hanukkah.

Residents joined around Rabbi Levi Stone, of the Schneerson Center for Jewish Life, as he lit the first candle to signify the holy season’s start. Prayers, dancing and sheer joy were had during the lighting event.

Stone commemorated the start of Hanukkah with a special holiday message on Tuesday.

Hanukkah, otherwise known as “the festival of light,” he said, “has a contemporary message for all humanity.”

He detailed the history of Hanukkah, weaving in stories of the “decisive battle against the tyranny of the Greek-Syrians” during the time and the tradition of lighting the first menorah.

After the battle, he said, “the Maccabees were tired and needed to rest. Perhaps in a few days time they would obtain the pure oil needed to kindle the Temple Menorah which was the daily custom in the Temple,” Stone said. “The people, weary from battle, still scoured the Temple for some sacred oil to light the menorah.”

Stone recounted the story, saying that in the face of battle, they still pulled together to look for oil to light the menorah.

“The wonder of it all is that they had not lost their hope and faith that there was something, even a small amount of goodness (oil), left to be found,” Stone said. “This is the miracle of our generation too. When we are surrounded by darkness, challenges or unease, the easy thing to do would be to accept the ‘reality; and move on and just accept the situation as is.” He continued.

“Yet, we are encouraged to keep searching for meaning in what could easily be written off as a random series of events with no logical purpose or design.”

The power of keeping faith and hope alive, Stone explained, is a miraculous gift and is the message of Hanukkah.

Many members of the community gathered for the lighting of the first candle, but each additional candle will be lit in Wilton Center over the next few weeks leading to the culmination of the year-end season.

Stone closed out his message by wishing all a very “illuminated” Hanukkah.

Bryan Haeffele / Hearst Connecticut Media Attendees of the Wilton menorah lighting, organized by the Chabad Schneerson Center of Jewish Life, dance on the second night of Hanukkah on the Town Green in Wilton. A crowd of around 50 people attended the lighting on Monday.

Rabbi Levi Stone of the Chabad Schneerson Center of Jewish Life lights a candle on the second night of Hanukkah on Monday, on the Town Green in Wilton.