Edgewater Lights Giant Menorah for Third Night of Hanukkah

In honor of Hanukkah, the third candle was lit on a giant menorah at Edgewater Mall Thursday night.

The third night of Hanukkah brings the third flame on the menorah, a cherished Jewish tradition displayed at an event Thursday night, and one that Tom Kelly enjoys every year. Kelly says, “Just, you know, come together and celebrate the Festival of Lights, known as Hanukkah that we all do in our own home, but we did as a community tonight."

This event was put on by a newly local chapter of an international Jewish organization called Chabad, a great step forward for southern Mississippi’s local Jewish community. Akiva Hall, a rabbi, says, "I think that the Jewish community is already very active here, but us being here now, to be able to help strengthen it and work with the Jewish community, I think it’s a big event for the local Jewish community."

Guests of the event enjoyed Jewish food, music, and activities such as spinning the dreidel. Hall also says, "The custom is we play with tops also on Hanukkah to commemorate the story, and also to learn Torrah, not only to play with tops."

As for Kelly, his favorite part about the event was enjoying the spirit of Hanukkah and coming together as a community. Kelly closes, "Everybody coming together as a community, whether they’re reformed, conservative, or they’re orthodox, everybody’s coming together as a Jewish community and I think that’s very important."

If you didn’t catch Thursday night’s menorah lighting, there will be another on Sunday in Diamondhead.