As the sun began to set on the first night of Chanukah, a crowd of nearly 400 men, women, and children from near and far gathered at beautiful Coachman Park in Clearwater, Florida, to kick off Chanukah 5786 in grand style.

This year’s celebration featured a live concert by renowned Chabad singer Tali Yess, adding music and inspiration to the festive evening.

Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector delivered warm greetings in honor of Chanukah. He also paid tribute and offered condolences for the lives tragically lost in the Sydney massacre and was honored to light the Shamash.

Mr. Marc Silver, Director of the Jewish National Fund of Tampa, was honored with reciting the Brochos and lighting the Menorah.

For nearly 20 years, Chabad of Clearwater’s Rabbi Levi Hodakov has been creating unique, original, and edible menorahs. This year was no exception. The Chanukah celebration proudly featured a 9-foot-tall licorice menorah made up of eight different flavors—one for each night of Chanukah—believed to be the world’s first of its kind.

New this year was a 70-foot-tall Ferris wheel, which was enjoyed by young and old alike and added to the carnival-like atmosphere of the event.

Special thanks were extended to the Clearwater Police Department for going above and beyond in providing security for the large crowd.

Nearly 100 children were in attendance, k”ah, and they eagerly clamored for thousands of chocolate coins that rained down during the annual Gelt Drop, made possible by the Clearwater Fire Department.

For the second consecutive year, the celebration featured four beloved mascots: the Tampa Bay Lightning’s ThunderBug, the Tampa Bay Rays’ Raymond, the Clearwater Threshers’ Phinley, and of course, the Dreidel Man.

Delicious latkes and donuts were enjoyed by all, and many menorahs were distributed to attendees to help spread the light of Chanukah into homes throughout the community.

Additionally, many men put on Tefillin thanks to the assistance of Rabbi Yehoshua Forma.

The event received extensive coverage on local media, including Fox 13, WFLA, and the Tampa Bay Times.

On the final night of Chanukah, another large crowd gathered to witness the lighting of the World’s Longest Menorah, measuring an impressive 61.3 feet, outside the Tabacinic Chabad Center. This special lighting was held in loving memory of the 15 individuals murdered in Sydney.

The Shamash was lit by Deputy Chief Michael Walek of the Clearwater Police Department. Mr. Laszlo Adler, a 93-year-old community member and Holocaust survivor, was honored with reciting the Brochos and lighting the Menorah. This moving ceremony was featured on Fox 13 and Tampa Bay 28.

Photos: Douglas R. Clifford

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