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.

