Celebrations of Hanukkah begin Sunday night, and Jewish families will
light special candelabras called menorahs to commemorate the rising
up by the Jews in Judea against Syrian-Greek tyranny in 165 B.C.
Rabbi Moshe Wilansky has a big event planned this
holiday. Really big.
Wilansky, director of the Chabad House-Lubavitch of
Maine, a statewide
Jewish outreach organization, has directed the construction of an
18-foot-tall steel "Grand Menorah" for people of all faiths.
"I always had this dream to be like the big cities
with a big menorah," said Wilansky.
Hanukkah is a celebration of religious freedom, said
Wilansky, and since the Sept. 11 attacks, he has wanted to do something
to honor that freedom. He also wanted to honor the firefighters and
rescue personnel who have been affected by the attacks. For the first-night
celebration, Portland's acting Fire Chief Frederick Lamontagne will
light the first flame of the new menorah at 5 p.m. Sunday in front
of Portland City Hall.
The size of the menorah is significant, said Wilansky.
In Hebrew, the number 18 represents life.
"I figured after such death, we should give people
back their life," he
said.
Lubavitchers are a small movement that tries to strengthen
Jews' sense of Judaism. They are more orthodox than followers of mainstream
Judaism.
In past years, Wilansky has lit menorahs made from
ice or plastic piping. He hopes the steel menorah, painted gold by
Sherwin-Williams in Westbrook, will last for years.
About six weeks ago, Wilansky raised $1,000 in donations
from local people "who feel it's very important to have a nice
menorah," he said. He then approached Bob Hodge, shop manager
at Portland Sheet Metal, to construct the giant candelabrum.
With just a book picturing large menorahs from around
the world and
Wilansky's input, Hodge, who is not Jewish, developed the menorah
out of steel tubing.
"I was unsure how it was going to look,"
said Hodge. "But when it was
finished, I was impressed. Maybe there was some divine intervention,"
he said.
