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Luzerne County Council set to start altering the proposed 2019 budget Tuesday

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Christmas comes to Hanover Twp.

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; It was a festive occasion after sundown at the Jewish Community Center as dozens gathered outside to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah by placing the first light on a menorah.</p><p>The holiday commemorates the revolution of ancient Maccabean Jews taking back Jerusalem from oppressive leaders who tried to erase Jewish religious practices, as well as a spiritual miracle of a single vessel of oil which lasted for eight days and nights.</p><p>For 50 years the Jewish Community Alliance of Wilkes-Barre has celebrated the holiday by lighting the menorah outside of the center, participating in the running of the torch &#8212; the Mayrutz Halapid ceremony &#8212; and holding a special holiday dinner.</p><p>Shortly before Sunday&#8217;s menorah lighting, Temple Israel President Joe Mitchneck explained that the event brings all three area temples together for the celebration &#8212; Temple Bnai B&#8217;rith, Temple Israel and Congregation Ohav Zedek &#8212; while teaching younger generations the importance of tradition.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a joyous occasion, it&#8217;s a happy holiday,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I grew up doing events with the Jewish Community Center here, so it has a lot of personal feelings for me.&#8221;</p><p>This year, the Running of the Torch will be held Dec. 9 at 5 p.m., followed by the Hanukkah dinner.</p><p>Like many families, Mitchneck said his has passed down many Jewish traditions.</p><p>&#8220;That&#8217;s key to any religion, keeping those traditions going,&#8221; he added.</p><p>As dozens began to gather around the menorah outside, a group of about 20 young men from the Bais Menachem Jewish Youth Development Program began singing, clapping and dancing in anticipation of the holiday&#8217;s start.</p><p>Shortly after, Rabbis David Kaplan and Zvi Perlman together lit the first candle before breaking out into song.</p><p>Keeping the energy level high the group continued, forming a half-circle around the menorah as the hopped from foot to foot and chanting the Hebrew song before bringing smaller children into the fun.</p><p>Mendy Sheyrif was one of the young men partaking in the evening&#8217;s excitement.</p><p>&#8220;Hanukkah is a time of when we were persecuted for our spirituality. So we could do whatever we wanted, but as long as it didn&#8217;t have God in it,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This is a time where we celebrate the fact that we can have God in everything.&#8221;</p><p>Looking on at the celebration, Rachel Lea Perlman was busy passing on Hanukkah traditions to her children. The Kingston resident said she like to attend as many menorah lightings and Hanukkah celebrations as possible as a way to show her young children that its okay to celebrate your spirituality.</p><p>&#8220;They absolutely love that every night they get to go outside in the dark and bring light,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I love for them to see that their traditions are important, that they are valued not just by our family, but by everybody.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Rabbi Zvi Perlman lights a Menorah Sunday in the front of the Jewish Community Center in Wilkes-Barre to mark the first night of Hanukkah. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/web1_torch1_faa.jpg</photo0><caption0>Rabbi Zvi Perlman lights a Menorah Sunday in the front of the Jewish Community Center in Wilkes-Barre to mark the first night of Hanukkah. </caption0><photoCredit0>Fred Adams | For Times Leader </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Marcella Kester</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div>

WB ceremony marks Hanukkah’s start