Temple Beth David will be aglow with the radiant light of tradition at 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9, as the Night of 100 Menorahs will be celebrated at the temple, 13158 Antelope St., Spring Hill.
“Each person in attendance will bring their own Menorah, lighting three candles on each, as this will be the third day of Hanukkah,” explained Cookie Goodman, publicity chairperson of Temple Beth David. “The display will be glorious.”
Beth David’s chairperson, Marlene Shaw, shares the heralded history behind the Menorah.
“A long time ago, when Syrian forces would not allow the Jews to practice their religion, they invaded and desecrated their temple,” she said. “When the Jews returned to the temple in an effort to restore it, they found enough candle oil to light the Menorah, a bank of candles, for a night.”
“But the Menorah kept burning for eight days and nights,” she revealed. “This is why we have nine candles burning on the Menorah, one for each day plus a leader candle.”
Aside from the mass lighting of these ceremonial luminaries, this celebration will feature sacred music, latkes, gelt, dreidels, and gifts for the kids.
“We’ll have a latke bar featuring the traditional potato dish and soup. We’ll have gelt or chocolate coins,” said Goodman. “Kids will be spinning their dreidels (the four-sided spinning tops that have become additional symbols of Hanukkah) and will select their gifts from a large dreidel. And we’ll have jelly doughnuts, as they are made from oil.”
The Night of 100 Menorahs has become a rich and vibrant tradition at Temple Beth David.
“It’s been going on for a decade,” said Shaw.
Reservations for The Night of 100 Menorahs are $10 for adults and is free for kids. Reserve your place now at www.tbdfl.org/events or send your check to the Temple office. Seating is limited.
“This is such a festive time,” said Goodman.
