The city of Beverly Hills is home to one of Southern California’s most vibrant Jewish communities, and this year it is marking the festival of Hanukkah with its annual Menorah Lighting Celebration on Dec. 30 at the Beverly Gardens Park Lily Pond.
“Once again, we will be coming together for our annual Menorah Lighting Celebration to celebrate Hanukkah and the festival of lights,” Beverly Hills Mayor Lester Friedman said. “Lighting the menorah is always a powerful moment when we can stand beside friends and loved ones to commemorate the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.”
Hanukkah, also called the festival of lights, is an eight-day celebration marking the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after it was desecrated in the second century BCE by the Greek Empire. Traditions include playing the game of dreidel, eating latkes and lighting the menorah – a multibranched candelabra with one candle representing each night of Hanukkah…