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Can-Do Attitude!

Chabad-Lubavitch group assembles giant menorah made of cans.

Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov from the Shul-Chabad Lubavitch in West Bloomfield with the
"Can-Orah" to benefit Yad Ezra

t took months of collecting canned food items and weeks of practice stacking and
balancing the cans, but in the end, a menorah built with 5,000 donated cans of food
stood tall and strong at Bonaventure Family Skating Center in Farmington Hills.
More than 300 people gathered there for a Dec. 21 Chanukah
party tha included skating, singing, dancing, pizza, latkes and
sufganiot (jelly donuts). State Rep. Andy Meisner, D-Ferndale,
used a step-stool to climb up and light the first candle to usher
in the festive holiday.
"This is just amazing, it came out better than we thought:' said
Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov, spiritual leader of the Shul-Chabad
Lubavitch in West Bloomfield. 'A lot of work went into this. It's
great to have the community come together in such a joyous
way"
More than 30 students from the Shul, preparing for their bar
and bat mitzvahs, collected the canned food that will be donated
to Yad Ezra, the kosher food pantry in Berkley.

Menachem Pinson, 4, of West
Bloomfield

A14

January 1 • 2009

Rep. Andy Meisner of Huntington Woods

"Especially in this difficult economy, it's important to give to those in need:' said
Shawn Steam of Farmington Hills. He designed the structure, which stood 19 layers
(from the bottom row to the top of the tallest shamesh candle). Cardboard was used
between each layer to keep the "can-orah" sturdy. Proud members of the Shul were call-
ing their creation "one of the largest can menorahs in the world." They even posted a
video on the Web site YouTube to demonstrate the assembly process.
"In light of the terrorist attack in Mumbai, India, and other world events where the
forces of darkness are ever-present, the Chanukah light is the eternal message of life,
growth and overcoming destruction:' said Shemtov. "There are so many challenges in the
world, we're in an economic crisis and everyone is worried. All we need to find is a little
jug of oil inside ourselves and spread light. Sharing our blessings with those less fortu-
nate, like we did with this project, is a wonderful way to celebrate the victory of light over
darkness.

❑

To see the can-orah assembly video, go to www.youtube.com and search "can orah."

Abbey Weitzman, 4, and Shawn Stearn, both of Farmington Tzemach Shemtov, 4, of West Bloomfield with Shalome Mann, 4, of Oak
Hills
Park and his brother Mendel, 7