A celebration of Hanukkah and the Jewish faith is taking place Wednesday night in Cambridge.
Rabbi Moshe Goldman of the The Rohr Chabad Centre for Jewish Life will be leading a Menorah lighting outside of city hall.
While the city erected a donated Menorah last year, there was no public lighting due to the the centre not hosting any events, making this the first time it's happening in Cambridge.
"It’s been a process over the years that we've tried to spread the message of Hanukkah," Goldman said.
"During COVID-19 we couldn't have any events so we focused on putting more Menorah's up. The Region of Waterloo and Kitchener were willing partners and we started looking around for other opportunities. There are a number of Jewish families in Cambridge and there used to be a synagogue."
The ceremony will begin with a gathering featuring traditional Jewish treats like potato pancakes and Sufganiyah, followed by an address by Mayor Jan Liggett and the lighting.
With tensions still high between Israel and Hamas overseas, it's impossible to ignore potential security concerns around these types of celebrations.
Goldman said he hasn't experienced any issues at lightings around the region but admits he's always prepared for any that could arise.
"We’re prepared but not anticipating anything," he said.
"It's more so under an abundance of caution we're aware. There's tens of thousands of Menorah lightings around the world each year and only a handful of vandalisms and thefts. Locally we’ve been putting up a Menorah for years and haven’t had any issues. I hope it stays that way."
Instead of putting an emphasis on potential problems, Goldman prefers to shine a light on the nature of the holiday and what it represents.
He said the Jewish community isn't looking to convert anyone but the event is open for everyone to enjoy. All he hopes for is respect for one another, regardless of culture or religion.
"You don't need to know anything about other cultures to have respect towards it, every human being is worthy of respect," he said.
"During intense times, there’s a war going on, there’s loud voices on either side, it’s a good time for people to come together and celebrate. Wish Jewish people a happy holiday. There's a lot of decent people in this city with no issues."
Despite it not being a city run event, staff will be assisting with the set up, it said.
The celebration begins at 6 p.m. and runs until 7 p.m.
