Merrick, NY – There was a record-breaking gathering on Long Island Wednesday night to make the festival of lights the brightest ever.
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About 700 people gathered at the Merrick Jewish Centre for the second night of Hanukkah to break the world record for the most menorahs lit simultaneously.
The previous world record was set in 2009 when 358 people lit menorahs at the same time at a Moscow nightclub
In a nightclub? And after lighting the candels everyone got a lap dance? In time of the Chashmonuim they would’ve been killed like all other Misyavnim.
There is NO mitzvah for these
People to light the Menorah in a
Public place (not their home).
And if they said the Brachos,
It is a Chilul Hashem for his
Holy name said in vain.
What nightclub? Why is everybody so judgmental and narrowminded?
This abvously a trick….. They nightclub.. but its really a shul under cover.. This was the cosmonots wont bother them.
Sorry to burst their bubble, but in the Lakewood Yeshiva dining room that record has long ago been broken, where there are many more lit together without the world record hoopla.
For the vast majority of secular Jews around the world, Chanukah menorah lighting is one of the most “jewish” things they do all year. I do not know the circumstances in Russia, but who is to say that this wasn’t a shliach or kiruv activity getting Jews to participate in a Jewish experience, taking that first step towards torah umitzvos.
As for this event, this was also likely a community building event. Getting Jews to come together and support one another around mitzvah is a kiddush hashem in it’s own right. Remember that MOST jews in the US do not believe to any kind of active Jewish community. Building a sense of community is a HUGE step in building greater Jewish identity, pride or torah observance.