ARMONK, N.Y. - Congregation B'nai Yisrael in Armonk will mark Hanukkah with a family celebration and dinner Thursday night.
The congregation will enjoy food, music and festive activities, including decorating cookies and playing the dreidel game. Hayley Kobilinsky, the congregation's cantor, said Hanukkah is not a major Jewish holiday but is perceived so in America "because of a coincidence in timing" since it's close to Christmas.
"Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of light," Kobilinsky said. She said the holiday honors the time when the Great Temple in Jerusalem was desecrated and had enough oil to last only one day but it instead lasted for eight, which saved the Jews.
"It celebrates bright light over the darkness of winter," she said. "What we do as humans is try to bring bright light and joy to the dark places, bring good to the world and repair the wrong."
The congregation will celebrate by lighting a version of the menorah used for Hanukkah with eight candles plus a ninth helper candle. The first candles were lit Tuesday night, the first night of Hanukkah.
There are 450 members of the Congregation B'nai Yisrael congregation who will celebrate Hanukkah this year.
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