Many turn out for Lake Tahoe menorah lighting

Incline Chanuka.jpg 

By Jean Eick
Special to the Bonanza
Photo by Jean Eick

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — As the Tahoe skies dimmed and the first stars appeared last Tuesday evening  on the patio of the Donald W. Reynolds Community Non-Profit Center, Rabbi Mendel Cunin of the Chabad of Northern Nevada, Lake Tahoe Chapter celebrated the lighting of the Incline Village community menorah.

For Jews, the lighting of the menorah, known in Hebrew as the hanukiya, symbolizes the burning light in the temple and marks the eight days of Hanukkah. It is also a time for families to gather for the lighting, to sing songs and recite blessings. Cunin told the gathering it was a lesson to share with everyone to be dedicated to families and their beliefs.

The gathering of community members in Incline was a collaborative effort organized by local resident Dina Marshal. Families from around the community gathered along with Cunin, his wife Sarah and their children Rabbi Gedaliah Potash, his wife, Leah and their children from San Francisco also attended.

For Marshal it was a special night to see all that turned out to share the lighting. After the lighting of the menorah, the gathering moved inside the DWR Center to spin the dreidel, eat donuts and latkes and celebrate.