BLACKSBURG, Va. – The first of eight nights of Hanukkah begins Thursday evening at sundown.
Hanukkah is meant to be celebrated as a community or large family gathering — things that can’t happen right now. Chabad, a Jewish group at Virginia Tech, usually hosts a public menorah lighting on campus with hundreds of others, and this year that’s just not possible. Rabbi Zvi Zwiebel who leads Chabad said that does not mean the holiday is completely over.
“Things are always different, that doesn’t mean they’re not powerful,” said Zwiebel.
He said the tradition behind the holiday is to light the menorah by a window so light can be shared with anyone walking by, and that’s something the pandemic doesn’t have to change.
“We’re actually sending out to anyone in the community, students or anyone locally, any Jewish person that needs a menorah and candles and can’t get out we’re sending out hundreds of menorahs,” Zwiebel said.
Hanukkah is filled with other Jewish traditions like playing dreidel and eating foods cooked in oil like latkas and donuts to commemorate the miracle of oil.
Zwiebel believes those traditions can be done without a large community or family gathering. He said Hanukkah’s core message of hope and prevailing over darkness will shine even brighter this year.
“I think this Hanukkah can be a memorable Hanukkah for so many people. People who weren’t able, busy working, out and about now Hanukkah can be more of a subtle time you can spend time with the family and celebrate the proper way,” said Zwiebel.
To request a menorah, candles or dreidel contact Chabad at Virginia Tech here.