 DECEMBER 24 • 2020 | 21

F

or the first time, Jewish 
families who live in 
eastern Oakland County 
had a Chabad Chanukah event 
of their very own. On Dec. 
13, the Chabad Jewish Center 
of Troy arranged a very large 
public Menorah lighting in 
Troy, attended by 350 people 
who joined from the safety of 
their cars.
“This must have been the 
largest Jewish celebration that 
the entire eastside has seen 
in a very long time, and for 
sure a first for a Chanukah!” 
said Rabbi Menachem Caytak, 
co-director of the Chabad 
Jewish Center of Troy.

The drive-in Chanukah 
event saw the lighting of a 
12-foot menorah, followed by a 
fire show for all to enjoy. Local 
dignitaries, including Mayor 
Ethan Baker of Troy and mem-
bers of city council attended. A 
large stage and video wall were 
set up at the Troy Technology 
Park to project the event so 
people could easily see what 
was happening. 
“I felt proud that the Jewish 
community on this side of town 
was able to gather like this and 
celebrate Chanukah in such 
a fashion,
” Caytak said. “I’m 
excited, excited for what this 
community has in store. I feel 

that there is only growth for the 
future of this community.
”
The event was the brain-
child of Caytak, whose 
Chabad center serves fami-
lies throughout the eastside. 
Most of the approximately 
1,000 Jewish families on the 
eastside live in Troy and 
Rochester Hills, he says, and 
nearly half are engaged with 
the Chabad center.
The pandemic may have 
slowed the center down, but it 
hasn’t stopped it. “Ever since 
the pandemic started, we never 
sat back. Every holiday, every 
event, we sat and brainstormed, 
thinking out of the box, how to 

best serve the Jewish communi-
ty in a safe way, all inspired by 
Rabbi Schneerson’s message of 
love,
” Caytak said. 
“When Chanukah came 
around, we knew that espe-
cially this holiday, whose 
message is spreading light, 
needed to be celebrated on the 
largest scale possible in a safe 
way. We came up with this 
Menorah drive-in idea, and 
we probably got more peo-
ple in Troy to come together 
for Chanukah, then if we 
had done a more traditional 
Chanukah party.”
Caytak wants to call out 
Friedman Real Estate for pro-
viding the venue, as well as 
Pegasus Entertainment, Lisa 
Fenkell, Barry Drillman and Eli 
Puretz for their help in making 
the event a success. 

JACKIE HEADAPOHL 
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Lighting Up Chanukah 
on the Eastside

IN 
THED
JEWS
| FACE&PLACES

1. James Silver brought his children to the Chanukah celebration. 2. The Bednarsh family enjoys the festivities. 3. The eastside menorah is lit by Scott Shefman, executive 

managing director of Friedman Real Estate. Also on stage are Troy Mayor Ethan Baker, Troy City Councilwoman Ellen Hodorek, Rabbi Levi Shemtov, executive director of the 

Friendship Circle of Michigan, and Chana Caytak, co-director of Chabad Jewish Center of Troy. Rabbi Menachem Caytak, co-director of the Chabad Jewish Center of Troy 

looks on.

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