The miracle of light

WARWICK — It had been raining lightly and a bit on the chilly side but on Tuesday evening, Dec. 12, a crowd of about 75 residents gathered just outside Lewis Park as Moshe Schwartzberg, joined by Rabbi Meir Borenstein of the Chabad of Orange County, began officiating at the 24th anniversary of Warwick's Menorah lighting.
Schwartzberg began the ceremony on this first night of Hanukkah by telling the story of how the Temple of Jerusalem was about to be rededicated following its recapture after occupation and defilement by the pagan Syrian-Greeks under Antiochus IV.
One small cruse of oilA small band of fighters, led by Judah Maccabee, he explained, fought to preserve the Jewish religion and culture and their right to worship God.
Although greatly outnumbered by a much larger and more professional army they recaptured the Holy Temple, which had been defiled with idol worship and pagan sacrifices.
When the Maccabees sought to rededicate the temple, however, they found only one small cruse of oil to kindle the eternal light.
Miraculously, he explained, because God was pleased with what they had accomplished, the oil lasted for eight days. And that provided enough time for the holy oil to be replenished.
Schwartzberg also explained the origin of the shamas, the ninth candle used to light the others.
'Blessed are you'But before lighting the first candle he read the sacred prayers, first in English so that everyone would understand, and then in Hebrew, according to the tradition of the ceremony.
"Blessed are you Hashem our God King of the universe," Schwartzberg read aloud, "who has kept us alive, sustained us and brought us to this season .. . ."
And then he repeated in Hebrew, "Baruch ata Adonai."
The crowd then headed down Main Street to Forever Jewelers where they were served refreshments including traditional latkes prepared by Doris Schwartzberg.
Rabbi Borenstein praised Schwartzberg and his family for their many years of conducting this ceremony. He also presented several small gifts including dreydles for the children. The rabbi and Schwartzberg then led everyone in singing Hanukkah songs.
- Roger Gavan