The Chabad of Fountain Hills will ignite a public 12-foot menorah erected on the Avenue of the Fountains followed by a community-wide celebration.

The Grand Menorah Lighting on the Avenue is held Sunday, Dec. 10, at 4:30 p.m. The ceremony will feature local dignitaries, live music, holiday delicacies, crafts for children and more.

The event is free and open to the public.

“The menorah serves as a symbol of Fountain Hills’ dedication to preserve and encourage the right and liberty of all its citizens to worship G-d freely, openly and with pride,” Chabad Rabbi Mendy Lipskier, who organizes the annual event,  said. “Specifically in America, a nation that was founded upon and vigorously protects the right of every person to practice his or her religion free from restraint and persecution, the menorah takes on profound significance, embodying both religious and constitutional principles.”

Marisa Phillippi is a Fountain Hills resident who is looking forward to attending the public menorah lighting.

“I want my grandchildren to grow up with pride in their Jewish heritage. Chabad’s Chanukah menorahs educate the children and community about the importance of ‘bringing the light,’” Philippi said.

Worldwide observance

Fountain Hills’ menorah is one of thousands of large public menorahs sponsored by Chabad throughout the world, helping children and adults from all walks of life discover and enjoy the holiday message.

Throughout Arizona, Chabad will be presenting scores of Chanukah events and celebrations including public menorah lightings, giant menorahs, menorah parades, latkes parties, giant dreidel houses, “Chanukah Wonderlands” and more.

Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, recalls the victory more than 2,100 years ago of a militarily weak but spiritually strong Jewish people who defeated a ruthless enemy that had overrun ancient Israel and sought to impose restrictions on the Jewish way of life, prohibit religious freedom and force the Jewish people to accept a foreign religion, a press release read.

“During the occupation of Jerusalem and the Temple, the Syrian Greeks desecrated and defiled the oils prepared for the lighting of the menorah, which was part of the daily service in the temple,” the press release continued. “Upon recapturing the Temple from the Syrian Greeks, the Jewish people found only one jar of undefiled oil, enough to burn only one day, but it lasted miraculously for eight days until new, pure olive oil was produced.”

In commemoration of this event, the Jewish people celebrate Chanukah for eight days by lighting an eight-branched candelabra known as a menorah.

The menorah is placed in a highly visible place to publicize the miracle with its message of hope and religious freedom to all.

Today, people of all faiths consider the Chanukah holiday as a symbol and message of the triumph of freedom over oppression, of spirit over matter and of light over darkness, the release said. For more information, contact Rabbi Mendy Lipskier by email at rabbi@jewishfountainhills.com or by calling 480-795-6292.

To find a local event in Arizona or anywhere throughout the world visit Chabad.org/ChanukahEvents.