Florida Festival Chanukah ‘Miracle’

By Yehudah Obermeyer
Photos: Mendy Toledano-Florida photographer 818-796-3634

The weather report was ominous. 100% chance of rain was expected in Hallandale Beach. It was expected all day. There was flooding in parts of Hollywood and Miami Beach, Florida, and all over South Florida.

The phones were ringing off the hook? “When will the event be rescheduled?” was asked by hundreds of calls by anxious Festival goers.

Rabbi Raphael Tennenhaus, head Shliach of South Broward contacted the Rebbe’s Ohel. Way before the frantic phone calls began.

Before Rosh HaShanah, a booklet of Chabad of South Broward’s programs of the year was placed on the Rebbe’s Ohel. The back cover of the booklet was the promotion of the 36th Annual South Florida Chassidic Chanukah Festival.
During the week of the Kinus HaShluchim, a second promotion of the Chanukah Festival was placed on the Ohel.

Since its inception in 1980, the South Florida Chanukah Festival always received blessings from the Rebbe. Both before the Festival and after.

One time the Rebbe wrote that the South Florida Chanukah Festival should grow each year like the candles of the Menorah grow each night. The addition should be in quantity and quality.

Every year, work on the Chanukah Festival, traditionally the worlds’ largest, starts the day after the Festival. Today, the 2nd day of Chanukah, work has already begun on the 37th Chanukah Festival taking place in 2016.

Every year, even the Reform and Conservative Temples from all over South Florida, contact Chabad of South Broward Headquarters, early in the summer, before their calendars of events are made for the year, to inquire when the Festival will be. They direct their members to this Mega Florida Chanukah Event.

So it was no surprise, that the Rebbe’s Brochos came through once again. It didn’t rain in Hallandale Beach all day. It didn’t even drizzle.

It was the Chanukah miracle of 5776!

A line up of dignitaries participated, including the Lieutenant Governor of Florida, Mr. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, the Sheriff of Broward County, Mr. Scott Israel, the Mayor of Hallandale Beach, Mrs Joy Cooper, City Commissioners Keith London and Michelle Lazerow, and many many more.

As always, Rabbi Abraham Korf, head Shliach to the State of Florida, was honored with lighting the first candle.

Rabbi Cantor Yossi Lebovics, principal of Florida’s only Jewish Women’s Teachers’ College, the Chaya Aydel Seminary (Chayaaydelsem.com), led in the singing of the Blessings on the giant Menorah and Maoz Tzur.

The King of Jewish Music, Avraham Fried, put on a performance, like the Rebbe’s Brocha for the South Florida Chanukah Festivals, that increased (in quantity and quality) like the lights of the Menorah, from his 20 previous performances at the Florida Chanukah Festivals. As always, he put his whole heart into his singing, but this Hakhel year, it was more miraculous and more magical. Many thousands were in attendance. Hundreds danced the night away, as Gulfstream came alive with the sound of Chassidic Music.

Dancing together were Jews of all backgrounds: Chassidim and Litvishe. Sephardim and Ashkenazim. Unaffiliated and Modern Orthodox.

Avraham Fried was joined by one of the greatest rising stars of Jewish music, Dovid Gabay, and the multi-talented singer, Shuki Sudan. They sang alone, and they sang together.

It was a concert and evening that was breathtaking and inspirational.

All children received Chanukah packages, that included a real dollar, chocolate coins and other Chanukah goodies.

The city of Hallandale Beach and the Sheriff’s office had scores of police and undercover officers that provided security for the evening.

The message of Hakhel, the year of gathering, was highlighted throughout the Festival, as was the message of the lights of the Menorah. “The lights of the Menorah resonated last night with a clear message to the world: Ultimately, light, goodness and peace, will defeat tyranny, terrorism and darkness.”

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