Lighting the Menorah on Tolland Green

Local residents gathered on Tolland Green Monday evening to celebrate Hanukkah with the lighting of a nine-foot menorah.

The festivities were led by Rabbi Yosef Wolvovsky of the Chabad: East of the River Jewish Center in Glastonbury. 

Wolvovksy lit four lights of the menorah, including the shamash, meaning "servant."

The light is elevated above the others on the menorah, although Wolvovsky said that, from a religious perspective, the light is the least important compared to the other eight lights. But there is a reason that the shamash is differentiated from the rest.

"When we sacrifice for others, we become more important," Wolvovsky explained. 

The celebration also included dancing and a raffle, in which the winners received a gift for themselves and a second to give away, in order to share the "kindness" of the holiday, Wolvovsky said.

The menorah will continue its tour of north central Connecticut this week. It will appear in Middletown tomorrow, Glastonbury on Wednesday and at Arbor Park in Ellington on Thursday.

More information can be found on the Chabad Jewish Center website.

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