20 | JANUARY 12 • 2023

C

habad Jewish Center of Troy cel-
ebrated Chanukah with a giant
community-wide event for Jews
east of Woodward.
More than 250 Jewish people joined
the party called “Chanukah on Ice,
”
which included ice skating, a giant ice
menorah, a figure skating show from the
Detroit Skating Club, Chanukah arts and
crafts and, of course, Chanukah food.
The public Chanukah celebration is
being heralded as a response to the wor-
risome rise in antisemitic rhetoric online
and elsewhere. “Our response to hatred
of any kind must never be to cower or
hide our faith,
” said Rabbi Menachem
Caytak, who directs Chabad Jewish
Center of Troy with his wife, Chana.
“The story of Chanukah is about the
tremendous power of light to overcome
darkness. We can have no better response
to negativity we encounter than to gather
in even greater numbers and celebrate the
light of the menorah in public.
”
Many of the families who participated
in the event are not involved with any
other Jewish organization besides the
Chabad Jewish Center of Troy.
“I honestly never knew there were
so many Jews on this side of town,
”
remarked David Silver, an eastside res-
ident. “What Chabad has done in their

short time being here is truly remarkable.
The Jewish community is coming out of
the woodwork, and I love being a part of
it!”

THE YEAR OF GATHERING
This year’s public menorah lighting car-
ried added significance as Jewish com-
munities worldwide celebrate the Year of
Hakhel or “Gathering,
” a once-in-seven-
years Jewish tradition. The marking of
this special occasion is part of the reason
Chabad Jewish Center of Troy is focusing
so much this year on bringing the Jewish
community together.
“Unity is what makes a strong commu-
nity,
” Caytak said. “Hakhel is a time for
us to tune in to this because together we
can accomplish great things. There is no
greater display of the literal light it is in
our power to bring into the world than
to gather together and light the menorah.
This is what the world needs.
”
Mayor of Troy Ethan Baker shared a
few words and lit the shamash to start
off the public menorah lighting. “I am
proud to embrace the religious diversity
in Troy and to stand with our community
members of varying faiths and beliefs,
”
Baker said.
The event’s main sponsor was Hebrew
Free Loan, as well as the James Silver

David Contorer, Rabbi
Menachem Caytak and

Allen Berman

The figure skaters from the Detroit Skate Club

OUR COMMUNITY

An Eastside Celebration

Giant ice menorah
lighting and Chanukah
party bring together
250 eastside Jews.

Mayor Ethan Baker
of Troy lights the
menorah’s shamash.