Celebrating Hanukkah with the ‘Unite to Light’ Menorah lighting
On the 4th night of Hanukkah, South Mississippi’s Jewish community celebrated with a Menorah-lighting ceremony.
Unite to Light, a Night of Jewish Pride, was held at Gulfport Premium Outlets last night as part of ongoing Hanukkah festivities.
Congregation Beth Israel invited the public out for night of treats and kids crafts, dreidels, and more.
Rabbi Akiva Hall says unity amongst the Jewish community right now is more important than ever. “Every year, but especially this year, our community felt that it was very important to have a very visible, very active, public celebration for the Jewish community and anyone else, to inspire us all in the celebration of this important holiday. Congregation Beth Israel is the only synagogue on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. There are approximately 200 Jewish families on the Coast, and we try and touch all of them in some way. The synagogue was here since the fifties. My wife Hannah and I, and our beautiful community, are working to try and reach every Jewish person and make our community a vibrant, active Jewish community. Events like this are really what makes that possible.”
This Thursday, Congregation Beth Israel will continue the festivities with another Menorah lighting and family fun with its Light up the Night event at Quakes in Ocean Springs. That event begins at 6 p.m. Thursday.
