During the days of Chanukah in Dnipro, the grand campaign to spread the light of Chanukah, organized by the Dnipro Jewish Community – “Mivtzoyim Chanukah-5786” – continues. As part of this campaign, families of community activists and participants in various community programs help elderly, lonely, and less mobile Jews in the city light Chanukah candles, deliver festive packages, and explain the importance and meanings of this holiday in popular city locations.
Every day during the “Mivtzoyim Chanukah-5786” campaign, community representatives visit dozens of Jewish homes and organize a true festive evening in Jewish families with song, warm heartfelt conversation, the creation of a unique holiday atmosphere, and, with brachos, they light the Chanukah candles, spreading the light of the Chanukah miracle.
Each family is gifted a Chanukah package containing everything needed for the chag: a chanukiah, candles, symbolic Chanukah gelt, literature about the history and meanings of the eight-day Yom Tov, as well as a unique edition of the Five Books of the Torah with Haftarot in Ukrainian translation. This edition was recently published by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine (FJCU) and became one of the most important events in Jewish life in Ukraine in the year 5786.
In addition to helping spread the light of Chanukah in hundreds of Jewish homes throughout the chag, participants of the “Mivtzoyim Chanukah-5786” campaign contribute to spreading the news of the miracle and assist Jews in fulfilling the mitzvos of Chanukah in the six largest and most popular shopping centers in Dnipro. Large chanukiot are set up there, and next to them work Mivtza posts where all interested people can learn what holiday Jews around the world are celebrating, its meaning. Jews are gifted a chanukiah and candles with detailed explanations so that upon returning home, they can fully perform the mitzvah of kindling the Chanukah lights.
Representatives from various projects of the Dnipro Jewish Community are participating in the “Mivtzoyim Chanukah-5786” campaign in Dnipro: from Dnipro’s yeshivos, the “Bait leBanim” pension, and programs that are part of “DJCY-STL,” particularly the “Stars,” “Teens,” and “Kids” programs, as well as families of community activists – the Webers, Hefers, Feldmans, Noimans, Kurtzweils, Romanovskys, Zislins, Manuilovs, and Maltsevs.
“I want to express on behalf of the community and its Rav, Shmuel Kaminezki, deep gratitude to all who are participating in this grand campaign to spread spiritual light, who bring the simcha of Chanukah to Jewish homes in our city and contribute to increasing the light of the miracle and telling about it,” emphasizes Rabbi Reuven Kaminezki. “Special thanks I want to express to Ilana Shpolyanska-Haneles, Rada Romantsova, and Eli Kurtzweil, who prepared and organized everything so wonderfully and ensured the campaign is conducted at such a high level. Eli Kurtzweil specifically came from Eretz Yisroel to help the Jews of Dnipro celebrate Chanukah with great joy, love, and care, which undoubtedly brings great nachas to our Rebbe.”
