(Daily Hampshire Gazette) The first night of Hanukkah was ushered in Sunday with the lighting of a 6-foot electric menorah on the lawn of the city’s Municipal Building and a ceremony held at Nashawannuck Pond.
The ceremony marked the sixth year a group of residents came together to celebrate the Jewish holiday with a candle lighting by the pond, including one year held virtually.
“In a time of so much darkness, I am always overjoyed to see so many people joining together to bring light to defy the darkness around us and to chase away the darkness within us,” Owen Zaret, who serves as an at-large member of the City Council, said in a statement. “We are at our best together, making ourselves stronger by sharing light with the world.”
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This year’s event was well-attended by members of the Jewish community and the larger community as well as local and state officials, including state Sen. John Velis, D-Westfield.
“It was wonderful to join city officials, members of the Western Massachusetts Jewish Federation, and Easthampton residents for the community’s menorah lighting ceremony on Sunday on Nashawannuck Pond,” Velis said in a statement. “It is great to see our community coming together to celebrate Hanukkah and I am grateful to all of the groups who have made this year’s holiday celebrations possible.”
Hanukkah, which began on Sunday night, ends on the evening of Monday, Dec. 26. Additional Hanukkah events held in the Valley are available at jewishwesternmass.org.