Hanukkah Brings Light Into Darkness on Beach 116th

By Katie McFadden

As the world watched the horrific attack at a Hanukkah event on Bondi Beach in Australia that left 15 dead on Sunday, in Rockaway, the community came together on Beach 116th Street to bring light to the darkness on the third night of the Festival of Lights.

On Tuesday, December 17, Councilwoman Joann Ariola, the Rockaway Civic Association, Rabbi Rebecca Epstein of West End Temple and Rabbi Matt Carl of Temple Beth-El brought the community together to celebrate Hanukkah. Despite chilly and icy conditions after Sunday’s snow, and the horrific events across the world, hearts were warmed by the turnout from Jewish people and those of other faiths from across the peninsula at the peaceful event on Beach 116th, kept safe with the help of the NYPD. All in attendance were welcome to enjoy a variety of donuts, chocolate gelt from Madeleine Chocolate and dreidels. And Rabbi Epstein herself brought a guitar to play and sing “Chanukah, Oh, Chanukah” and a creative, extended version of The Dreidel Song.

“We are so happy to see everyone here on this cold, chilly, icy evening but we’re gonna bring the light of Hanukkah into this darkness and spread the light into the world,” Rabbi Epstein said. “We’re so excited to be together and feel the strength in being together through our community.”

As Rabbi Epstein led a prayer, Rabbi Carl pushed the buttons to light three candles on the Beach 116th menorah, bringing more light to the block. “Thank you to the civic and law enforcement leaders who are here and reminding everyone that it’s a privilege, it’s a luxury in some ways, to be living in a time and in a place where we can trust our civic leaders, where we can trust law enforcement to protect us, to give us safety and to give us the ability to have dignity and be public,” Rabbi Carl said. “I think something that we probably, I hope didn’t take lightly last week, and certainly in the last few days have been reminded not to take that sort of thing lightly, and thankfully, we have a place where we can come together, and we enjoy coming together as neighbors for these kinds of events. So, I want to thank everybody who’s here from the different synagogues, and I know every year we have people who aren’t from one of the synagogues and that gets right to the point that neighbors want to show up for neighbors for things like this.”