Rain, wind, and increased anti-Semitism didn’t damper an exciting outdoor Chanukah celebration in Forest Hills on December 10. DJ Jordan Benjamin pumped up Jewish music, trampoline artists did twists, and chocolate coins were dropped from a 30-foot-high fire department cherry picker.
More than 200 people, many of them children, attended Chabad of Forest Hills North’s ninth annual Chanukah in front of Yellowstone Park. Free jelly doughnuts, menorahs, and candles were handed out.
Rabbi Mendy and Rebbetzin Chaya Hecht first came to Forest Hills in 2012. They started Chabad of Forest Hills North, which is located at 110-40 70th Road. Their children, dressed as dreidels, danced with other children.
Rabbi Hecht said to the public, “The story of Chanukah has never felt more relevant as the Jewish nation is once again fighting for its survival. But if there is one thing this war has taught us, it is that the light of the human spirit will always triumph over darkness.”
“Tonight, we choose to focus on the positive; tonight we choose to focus on the light. We choose to add more light in the world, to do another mitzvah, a good deed.
We choose hope, belief, strength, and salvation. We choose to unite through light, we choose to do all this because just as in the past we were victorious and light won, so too today we’ll be victorious, and light will win.”
Rabbi Hecht said Am Yisrael Chai many times during his speech. He concluded in part by saying, “Let’s strengthen ourselves and be proud and strong in our beliefs and show the world that light wins!”
With the crowd repeating, Rabbi Hecht’s daughter Chana said “Torah tzivah lanu Moshe” (The Torah was given to us by Moses). Rabbi Hecht’s son Akiva said Sh’ma Yisrael. His son Peretz said the first line of B’reishis. His daughter Hadassah said the “V’Ahavta” (to love G-d with all your heart, soul, and possessions). Rabbi Hecht and attendees said T’hilim 121 from the handouts given out.
Rabbi Hecht lit the oil menorah from a cherry picker provided by local Ladder 135.
Community Affairs Officers Tuohey and DeSantis and officers from the 112 Precinct provided security for the evening.
The Captain of the 112 Precinct, David Cordano, and Deputy Chief of Queens Borough North Tommy M. Ng patrolled and spoke at the Chanukah celebration.
Captain Cordano remembers Rabbi Hecht’s kindness even before starting at the local precinct in April 2023.
A house fire in Forest Hills brought police officers and David Cordano from other neighborhoods. Rabbi Hecht brought two bags of ice-cold water and seltzer to the firefighters and police officers facing “about 100 degrees that day.” “And I said, you know that’s a really special man. He is great.”
Deputy Chief Ng said police are stepping up patrols and people will “see additional officers around this area.” “Each and every day, my office, and the entire NYPD will ensure the safety of everyone who celebrates this wonderful holiday.”
Flippenout Trampoline closed out the evening with acrobatics, including flipping with snowboards and skis on, in the rainy weather. The children loved their somersaults while catching a ball at the same time. The Trampoline artists, Thomas Theobald and Tanner Micksen, are from Utah and have been doing shows for about ten years.
By David Schneier
