Above:
Seth Brasch, 6, Michael
Stryk, 10, Daniel Stryk,
6, David Silverman,
6, Alex Stryk, 9, and
Jonathon Brasch, 11,
all of Farmington Hills,
jump high in the dreidel-
shaped moon bounce.
Left:
Jeremy Rosenberg, 12, of
Rabbi Shneur Silberberg demonstrates making oil in an olive press for Hillel
West Bloomfield, lights
the Lego menorah.
students Zoe Zaltz and Sammy Schlussel, both 7, both of Huntington Woods,
and Lily Sherman, 7, of Birmingham.
Chanukah
Wonderland
Embracing the holiday through
hands-on learning and fun.
Shell Liebman Dorfman
Senior Writer
A
first-time Chanukah event
offered enough activities to fill
each day of the eight-day holiday
— and it nearly did. Beginning Dec. 1, the
Chanukah Wonderland encompassed four
days of activities and fun and culminated
in a Dec. 7 giant menorah lighting.
The public extravaganza was the
creation of a partnership between the
Sara and Morris Tugman Bais Chabad
Torah Center in West Bloomfield and
the Bloomfield Township-based Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
Guests of the program, which was held
at the Beaumont Hospital Medical Center
in West Bloomfield, could partake in most
every type of Chanukah celebration and
treat.
16 December 30 • 2010
"Jewish boys and girls, from infants to
teens, came to the comprehensive, educa-
tional and fun Chanukah program:' said
Zeesy Silberberg, director of Bais Chabad's
Jewish Women's Circle and youth pro-
grams. "Over 500 children passed through
the Wonderland, including groups from
Akiva Hebrew Day School [of Southfield]
and Hillel Day School [in Farmington
Hills]."
The Chanukah Wonderland — whose
major sponsors were Alex Kocovos of GLP
Insurance Services in Farmington Hills,
Glenn and Kim Liebowitz of Farmington
Hills and Reuvein and Shaina Kagan of
West Bloomfield — was filled with kiosks
of food, arts and crafts projects and learn-
ing experiences.
Rabbi Shneur Silberberg, Bais Chabad's
outreach director, captivated visitors with
an hourly holiday exhibition. Extracting
oil from California olives, he crushed
them in an olive press, commemorating
the Chanukah miracle in the Holy Temple
when a tiny flask of oil kept the menorah
burning for eight days and nights. He
poured oil acquired during each demon-
stration into a menorah that he then lit.
The rabbi was on hand to answer visitors'
Chanukah questions.
The Wonderland's fun foods ranged from
a "fill your own doughnut" station, repre-
senting the traditional Chanukah dessert, to
edible menorahs created by guests.
Kids laughed at a clown, were in awe
of a magician and jumped on a moon
bounce, billed as one of only 10 dreidel-
shaped inflatables in the universe.
All A Kid Could Want
A section of the Wonderland was devoted
to a Chanukah Lego Land, highlighted by a
menorah, created with actual pieces of the
plastic, building blocks. Another area dis-
played vividly painted, penciled and colored
Jewish News Chanukah Art Contest entries.
Guests of the event designed and deco-
rated holiday-themed felt art, magnets,
Play-Doh shapes and pictures frames.
Kids, dressed in pajamas, watched a live
Chanukah play and heard Chanukah
books read at a PJ Library Hour program.
"Even Judah Maccabee was on hand,
giving the kids a chance to meet and talk
— and have their picture taken — with the
brave Jewish hero',' Zeesy Silberberg said.
The Chanukah Wonderland was
inspired by Rabbi Levi Deitsch, 34, direc-
tor of the Chabad at Tyson Corner, Va.,
who died Nov. 13.
"He was a beloved man who enthusias-
tically devoted his every day to bringing
the light of Judaism to this world:' Zeesy
Silberberg said.
"He leaves behind a wife, four children
and more family, friends and congregants
who miss him dearly.
"The Chanukah Wonderland that
Shneur and I and Andy and Andi
Feuereisen [of West Bloomfield] planned
was Rabbi Deitsch's brainchild. He encour-
aged us to do it on a greater scale. Free
admission, he insisted, so that every
Jewish family can feel the spirit and joy of
Chanukah. May this be a merit to his soul."
The Wonderland concluded with guests
gathering for lakes, enjoying the sounds
of a children's choir, donning flashing
menorah necklaces and viewing the light-
ing of a 13-foot-tall menorah.
Dr. Eduardo Phillips and his 13-year-old
grandson, Adam Phillips, both of West
Bloomfield, climbed inside the boom lift
of a DTE Energy truck, and were raised to
light the menorah in an event sponsored by
21st Century Oncology in West Bloomfield.
"One 10-year-old boy said on his way out,
`I used to admire Harry Potter the most,
but now I admire Judah Maccabee," Zeesy
Silberberg said. "He stood up to the Greek
armies practically singlehandedly!"