30 | DECEMBER 9 • 2021
faces&places
M
enorah in the D on Sunday rep-
resented a Chanukah miracle all
around, not only for the holiday
itself, but for journalist Danny Fenster’s
homecoming two weeks after being freed
from jail in Myanmar.
Fenster, Huntington Woods native and
managing editor of Frontier Myanmar,
helped light the Chanukah candle on the
giant menorah. Fenster said he’s doing
great and is thankful to be back home
with family.
“I can’t imagine a better community to
come home to,” he said. “It’s just made
an already great, joyful situation even
more joyful. I’ve just had a lot of love and
appreciation back home here in Detroit
and Metro Detroit, in the Jewish commu-
nity and the wider community. It’s just
been incredible.”
Fenster was grateful that lighting the
menorah capped off what the last two
weeks have represented, a homecoming.
“It’s great. It’s one of several communi-
ties that have shown incredible support,
and if they want to honor me, that’s
humbling, and if I can help them by par-
ticipating, I’m happy to do that,” he said.
“To see the support all over the world, it’s
just been humbling and filling me with
gratitude.”
Thousands of Detroiters gathered at
Campus Martius, celebrating the first
night of Chanukah with gratitude in the
air after last year’s virtual-only event due
to the pandemic.
Mendel Pinson, an 11th-grade stu-
dent at Lubavitch Yeshiva, and his peers
dressed in dreidel costumes and danced
the night away. Pinson is happy they
could return to celebrating in person.
“It’s the perfect timing; Chanukah is the
time of spreading light and warmth and
that’s really what we’re doing today. We’re
spreading joy and happiness,” he said.
Dignitaries from all over attended this
year’s event, including Attorney General
Dana Nessel, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II,
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Michigan
State Sen. Jeremy Moss, Oakland County
Executive David Coulter, Michigan
Danny Fenster lights Chanukah candle as thousands gather Downtown.
DANNY SCHWARTZ STAFF WRITER
Menorah in the D Returns
to In-Person Celebration
PHOTOS BY NATHAN VICAR
View from the crowd of thousands
who came to celebrate.