A record crowd of more than 1,200 joined in the holiday spirit and gathered for a community-wide Chanukah celebration at Nocatee Spray Park Nov. 30.
The event was held on the third night of the eight days that make up the Chanukah holiday.
The gathering, organized by Chabad of St. Johns County, featured a glowing menorah lighting ceremony and a dramatic helicopter “gelt” drop, in which thousands of chocolate Chanukah coins, known in Yiddish as gelt, rained down from a helicopter, taking the festivities to new heights.
Participants sang and danced to Chanukah-themed music and enjoyed traditional Chanukah foods, including latkes and sufganiyot. Gili’s Kosher Food Truck joined to complete the festivities as well, so families could order a Kosher dinner.
After the thousands of chocolate coins rained down in a spectacular shimmering shower, the entire crowd of children rushed to collect their chocolate treasures.
The evening commenced with an adorable sing-along performance by children from GROW, a local Jewish afterschool program that takes place in St. Johns County and Nocatee.
The evening was addressed by Mendel Sharfstein, Rabbi at Chabad of St. Johns County, as well as St. Johns County Clerk Brandon Patty and Commander Scott Beaver from the Sheriff's Office, who brought holiday greetings on behalf of the county.
The distribution of gelt is a more than 2,000-year-old custom, designed to reward children for exemplary behavior as well as educate them to give charity. A more contemporary version of giving gelt evolved into chocolate coins in foil wrapping.
“This was the perfect way to bring the well-known Jewish holiday of Chanukah to a whole new level and get the entire family involved,” said Dini Sharfstein, youth director at Chabad of St. Johns County. “The St. Johns community Chanukah celebration at Nocatee Spray Park is a fun and entertaining family-oriented event where everyone can come and celebrate Chanukah.”
The menorah lighting and Chanukah festivities were part of the worldwide Chanukah campaign, an annual initiative launched by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory.
The campaign highlights and encourages the central theme of the holiday by publicizing the Chanukah miracle.
“The message of Chanukah is the message of light; a small amount of light dispels a lot of darkness,” said Rabbi Mendel Sharfstein, co-director of Chabad of St. Johns County. “Our job is to be lamplighters. We must all add in our spreading of light and warmth to our families, communities and the world at large through doing more acts of goodness and kindness.”
For more information about Chabad the programs they have in place go to JewishSJohnsCounty.com or facebook.com/JewishStJohnsCounty or call the center at 904-701-4422 or email info@JewishSJohnsCounty.com.
