LOS ALAMITOS— Chabad of Los Alamitos honored the victims of the mass shootings in Pittsburgh and Thousand Oaks and the fires in California – along with the first responders who came to their aid – as part its annual Hanukkah menorah lighting ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 25, at the Seal Beach Pier.
Hanukkah begins this year on Dec. 2, but annually on the Sunday before, the Chabad of Los Alamitos shares the joy of the upcoming holiday.
The tribute to the victims was combined with the lighting of the “shamash,” the menorah’s middle candle that is traditionally used to light the other eight – each illuminated on a different night of Hanukkah.
“When you light the menorah, the shamash really is the public servant in the menorah lighting. It doesn’t have it’s own night. It’s the public servant who humbly works in the back, like our wonderful Police Department – they fall into the shamash category. All the good people,” said Chabad Rabbi Shmuel Marcus.
“We’re hopeful light will triumph over darkness and goodness will prevail,” he said. “That’s the spirit of Hanukkah.”
