{"id":91219,"date":"2025-12-12T04:10:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T04:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/91219\/"},"modified":"2025-12-12T04:10:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T04:10:08","slug":"400-to-500-attend-2025-seal-beach-menorah-lighting-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/91219\/","title":{"rendered":"400 to 500 attend 2025 Seal Beach menorah lighting event"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>The last of the menorah candles is lit. Photo by Charles M. Kelly<\/p>\n

Chanukah will begin Sunday evening, Dec. 14, and end Monday, Dec. 22.<\/p>\n

The 22nd annual Pre-Chanukah Menorah Lighting was held in Eisenhower Park Sunday, Dec. 7. The event included live music, free donut holes, chocolate coins wrapped in foil (called gelt), free coffee and free dreidel. Menorah kits were also distributed. In an email, Chabad of Los Alamitos\/Cypress put the size of the crowd at 400-500 people.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The event was put on by Chabad of Los Alamitos\/Cypress and hosted by Rabbi Shmuel and Bluma Marcus.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Marcus described the event as a demonstration of the menorah lighting. (Traditionally, one candle is lit on each night of Chanukah). \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of the Jewish traditions are held in our home, in the synagogues. But when it comes to the victory of light over darkness, we need to actually take it to the streets,\u201d Marcus said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cTake it to the beach, take it to Seal Beach, make sure the weather is beautiful,\u201d Marcus said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I just want to do a big shout out to the Creator of heaven and Earth,\u201d Marcus said.<\/p>\n

The rabbi said a week and a half ago, it was raining.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe ordered a tent for this stage. We put down the deposit, but then the rabbi made a blessing, and look what we got. Thank you, God, you\u2019re amazing,\u201d Marcus said.<\/p>\n

Seal Beach Police Chief Michael Henderson said there had been tough times for law enforcement for the last few years. \u201cI can speak for all the men and women of the police department that we are grateful, we\u2019re honored, to serve this community. So thank you so much. Have a great evening and a Happy Chanukah,\u201d Henderson said.<\/p>\n

District Five City Councilman\/Mayor Pro Tem Nathan Steele said he was not a member of the tribe. \u201cI am a close friend, a cousin, someone who believes not just in the New Testament, but also the Old testament,\u201d Steele said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been to Israel two times, and I\u2019ve loved it every single time that I\u2019ve gone there. If you have not gone, you must, absolutely must go. But thanks for coming out this evening for the menorah lighting,\u201d Steele said.<\/p>\n

Rabbi Marcus said that since the Oct. 6, 2023 attack on Israel, it felt like it was happening now, referring to the history of Chanukah.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to Chabad.org (not to be confused with Los Alamitos \/Cypress Chabad), in the second century BCE, the Seleucids tried to force the Israelis to worship according to the ways of the Seleucids. The Maccabees took up arms in the defense of their way of life. They won.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen they sought to light the Temple\u2019s Menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum), they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks. Miraculously, they lit the menorah and the one-day supply of oil lasted for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of ritual purity,\u201d according to Chabad.org.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo commemorate and publicize these miracles, the sages instituted the festival of Chanukah,\u201d according to Chabad.org.<\/p>\n

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