On the second night of Hanukkah, about 50 people gathered — many bundled in coats and fitted with boots — to sing, dance and eat in celebration of the Jewish holiday.
They were taking part in the Downtown Chanukah Family Festival on the Bo Diddley Community Plaza on Thursday evening.
The tallest menorah in Alachua County stood on stage in front of children playing with balloon animals, long lines of people eager for latkes and doughnuts, and a clown.
On top of the 11-foot-tall wooden menorah, garnished with orange and blue paint, three glass lamps were spaced apart like candles. As more songs and instruments played, people held small candles in their cold hands as they celebrated another night of Hanukkah.
Also part of the lively festivities were the Tantz Klezmer band, who played contemporary Jewish music as people danced and munched on snow cones, hot potato latkes and sufganiyot, which are fried kosher jelly doughnuts that people eat during Hanukkah.
“It reminds me of my celebration in Israel,” said Zohar Levites, who recently moved to Gainesville with his wife and two children. “We get to eat real doughnuts here.”
Several city and county commissioners stopped by to give happy holiday greetings to those enjoying the festivities, including Susan Baird, an Alachua County commissioner, who thanked everyone for their “contributions to the community.”
The Lubavitch-Chabad Jewish Student and Community Center and its UF student group took part in a charitable effort in the midst of celebrating the holidays.
Every year, the group takes part in a project to celebrate Hanukkah and help those less fortunate in the community.
This year was no exception. The group introduced the Menorah of Joy project, which will benefit hospitalized children in Gainesville. UF students and faculty have donated toys to place in the giant menorah. Participants were also encouraged to donate money that will be used to purchase more toys.
“We not only commemorate the miracle of Hanukkah, but we also want to apply the lesson for today’s day and age,” said Rabbi Berl Goldman, director of the Lubavitch Jewish Center.
The toy menorah will stay at the Bo Diddley Community Plaza for the remainder of Hanukkah, which ends on Wednesday.
