Andover, MA – The frigid, 9-degree weather kept Rabbi Asher Bronstein from using lamp oil for the menorah lighting ceremony on the town common last night.
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But the turnout of about 100 — including some of the town officials who he threatened to sue less than a month ago — generated a warm reception for the rabbi and others who gathered on the second floor of the Museum of Printing across the street from the common.
“Everybody is happy,” said Bronstein, a rabbi at Andover’s Chabad Lubavitch of Merrimack Valley, after the Board of Selectmen and the top town officials had accepted his invitation to join him over hot chocolate, doughnuts and latkes in celebrating the seventh night of Hanukkah.
“When you invite people, people come. Despite this cold night, we got a good crowd here,” he said.
And whatever icy, cold relations Bronstein may have experienced with town officials several weeks ago seemed to have thawed out. Just before Thanksgiving, he had threatened a lawsuit against the town after the selectmen had initially denied his request to put up a menorah on the common for all eight days of Hanukkah, (as was reported here on VIN News).
Shortly after the selectmen backed down, the rabbi invited them to celebrate Hanukkah.
Bronstein was happy to see the first of the official guests arrive at the museum last night.
“You really came,” he told North Andover fire Chief William Martineau.
“Did you bring some heat with you from the Fire Department?” the rabbi jokingly asked.
Martineau did better. He announced that the selectmen, police Chief Richard Stanley and Town Manager Mark Rees would soon join him.
Selectmen’s Chairwoman Tracy Watson came with a special proclamation from the board.
“We’re just very happy to display the menorah on the common,” Watson said in an interview.
“It’s a universal display of hope, peace and compassion. And we as a community welcome residents and visitors from all backgrounds and traditions. We’re here because we were invited, and it’s a pleasure to be invited. We’ll also be here on Dec. 22 for the Nativity,” she said.
Martineau called the menorah controversy “a misunderstanding.”
“I just think it got kind of blown out of proportion. I’m happy everything got resolved,” Martineau said.
“The town reacted the way it did because a lawsuit was threatened. When a lawsuit is threatened, you have to reassess how you do things,” he said.
After refreshments and speeches, the crowd went to the common where Rees flipped the switch to light the middle bulb.
Other officials took their turns, lighting the bulbs on the menorah.
so all those who thought this guy was making a chilul hashem…and he should not have sued…should not have made a big deal…thanl g-d he prevail as a true chabad chosid,it thhe end everyone won and went home happy.what a huge kidush hashem.keep upp the great work chabad,u made a true kidush hashem with the munipicality,town hall, fire department…
its time to stop there is no reason to show our neighbors that we could light the menorah in public it produces backlash and there is bo basis neither in halacha no r in minhugim with all due respect the only group doing this are lebavitchrs and i dont think that anybody was niskarev bt this display.
It bothers me to see how Farbissen some are towards Lubavitch. Been there done that.
I have a small confession to make. I grew up in a family that was very antagonistic to Lubavitch and the Rebbe.
While learning in the Ponovezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak, my roommate would listen to Nigunei Chabad at night. It was so powerful that sometimes I would leave the room crying like a child. I couldn’t believe that a nigun could have such an impact on me. After all I grew up in a family where learning Torah meant everything and everything was learning. Period. No room for regesh.
Recently I started learning sifrei chabad mostly the Likutim of the Lubavitcher Rebbe and it opened up a whole new world for me.
Learning the Torah of the Rebbe has changed my outlook on the whole purpose of Limud Hatorah, Yidden and Yidishkeit.
I don’t think there is another sefer that has instilled in me Ahavas Yisroel the way the sichos of the Rebbe have . He makes Torah and Yideshkeit real and meaningful.
I am starting to believe that it’s only a matter of time for the rest of Klal Yisroel to realize the true Gadlus and Tzidkus of the Rebbe.
I’m the lawyer who handled this matter for the rabbi. you can see me in the photo, second from the right, in the black hat and gray scarf. There was no negative downside to this event. Those of you criticize this need to examine your own selfish motives.