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.