What: Menorah in the Square
When: 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Rotary Square, Traverse City
More info
The Chabad Jewish Community Center in Traverse City is hosting its third annual "Menorah in the Square" event on Sunday.
But this year’s celebration will happen in the shadow of a tragedy at a Hanukkah gathering on the other side of the globe — in Australia, where two attackers killed 15 people and injured dozens of others.
For Rabbi Laibel Shemtov, it was personal.
"I heard the news waking up to a text from my brother in law saying how our friend is fine," Shemtov told IPR. "Once I saw the news, I saw that we have a good friend that is in Australia that was actually by the lighting. He, thank God, is fine, but unfortunately two colleagues of mine were lost in the tragedy."
Shemtov runs Chabad Jewish Community Center in Traverse City and organizes "Menorah in the Square," an event now in its third year at Rotary Square. The tragedy at Bondi Beach in Australia will be felt here, Shemtov said, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
"I sure hope it will affect it, but in a positive way," he said. "From what I know from my colleagues, I know they would not want us to hide or to cancel the event, God forbid. But they would want us to double or triple our size and add more light instead of cutting down."
Chabad is collecting canned goods and will use them to build this year's menorah, before distributing them to those in needs. How do you do that, exactly?
"You'll have to come to find out," Shemtov said.
The event starts at 5 p.m. on Sunday at Rotary Square in Traverse City. The event is open to all, but people are asked to register to attend.
