Community Corner

Community Celebrates Hanukkah

A menorah lighting was held on the Westborough rotary today.

Children’s menorahs with candle holders made from Legos, soda cans, and baseballs were displayed on the Westborough rotary today, the first day of Hanukkah.

One of them “particularly impressed” Selectmen Chairman Leigh Emery.

“One of them is recycled cans, but the little holders for the candles actually came from bullet casings. So, they’re taking a weapon of destruction and turned it into an instrument of light.” Emery said during a public menorah lighting on the rotary.

Find out what's happening in Westboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“I think that is so emblematic of the celebration.”

Chabad of Westborough organized today’s festivities, which began at 12:15 p.m. “to include everyone,” Rabbi Michoel Green said.

Find out what's happening in Westboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Hopefully, when you go home tonight, you’ll light (a menorah) at home after it gets dark outside,” he said.

Hanukkah began at sunset Saturday and ends at nightfall Sunday, Dec. 16.

 “The first day of Hanukkah is very special, because it represents that even though sometimes we’re in a time of darkness, there’s a lot of evil and not good things going on around us,” Green said.

“We have to realize that our job is just to shine a light. Even if it’s only one little small light. There’s so much darkness out there. What if my one little light can help? The lesson of the first night of Hanukkah is that you just light a light.

“The lesson of the second night of Hanukkah is that we don’t suffice with what we did the first night. We increase the light. And we have to increase the light exponentially. The good thing that we did yesterday is not enough. We have to add."

Emery, Selectmen Timothy Dodd, Denny Drewry and George Barrette, Town Manager Jim Malloy and Police Chief Alan Gordon were among those attending in the celebration.

The schedule of local Hanukkah events includes:

  • Chabad of Westborough will hold a Hanukkah Fun Day at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the JC Penney court at the Solomon Pond Mall in Northborough.
  • Congregation B'nai Shalom will hold a Shabbat Hanukkah Creative Service led by WAFTY at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14.
  • Congregation B'nai Shalom will hold a Hanukkah Tot Shabbat for families with kids ages 0 to 6 at 10:15 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, followed at 11 a.m. by an Early Childhood Hanukkah Party.

Westborough Patch will have video and a more detailed story later today.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here