PHOENIX — Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, began Thursday at sundown.
While the pandemic has changed some of the ways it will be celebrated this year, dreidels will still be spinning and Menorah candles will still shine bright.
Many temples across the Valley will be hosting virtual gatherings and worship services this year.
Beth El Congregation in Phoenix will host a daily virtual Hanukkah lighting featuring a different family each night lighting their Menorah. The public is invited to join Zoom each night at 5:45 p.m., except for Saturday and Sunday, which will begin at 6 p.m.
On Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. they'll be hosting a parking lot concert and lighting ceremony much like a car parade.
Cantor Jonathon Angress at Beth El Congregation says it's all part of staying safe during the holiday.
"Thankfully, we decided our community to utilize the online virtual forum. Some communities chose not to do that for religious reasons, but we decided that's needed for our community, so we defiantly went down that route and it's been one of our saving graces,” says Angress.
There will also be a virtual recital with Hanukkah lighting Sunday at 5 p.m.
The Chabad of Paradise Valley is holding a Menorah Car Parade on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m., starting at Paradise Valley Town Hall located at 6401 East Lincoln Drive.
Rabbi Shlomo Levertov says they’ve gotten creative so Arizona’s Jewish families don’t feel isolated.
“We’ve created Hanukkah packages with Menorahs, candles sometimes donuts and other holiday items and we’re bringing them to peoples houses,” he said
On Monday, there will be a car parade from 2110 East Lincoln Drive to Wesley Bolin Plaza beginning at 5:30 p.m.
For information on more events in the Valley, visit Hanukkah.org.
