- November 7, 2024
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Huda Hershkowitz danced in the rain under his red umbrella as a menorah parade nearly 100 cars, all with electric menorahs fastened to their roofs, arrived at Veterans Park in Flagler Beach. The parade began at the Walmart parking lot in Ormond Beach, and arrived to light the sixth candle on the menorah standing among the Christmas lights. It was a first for Flagler Beach, and Commissioner Jane Mealy was on hand to join in the celebration.
“I was so pleased when I received the invitation,” Mealy said.
Nearly 100 people came for the celebration, most from the Chabad of Palm Coast and the Chabad Lubavitch of Greater Daytona in Ormond Beach.
Before turning the candle lighting over to his father, Head Rabbi of Volusia and Flagler counties, Rabbi Pinchas Ezagui, Rabbi Levi Ezagui spoke of the importance of spreading the miracle of Hanukkah.
“What an amazing way we did it. We spread the miracle all the way down A1A, from the Walmart on Granada,” Rabbi Levi Ezagui said. “We don’t know how many Jews saw it and were inspired.”
Rabbi Levi Ezagui spoke about times when it was against the law to light a menorah, and in some countries people were imprisoned.
“People used to hide and light the menorah. Now we were driving down A1A happy, and we lit the menorah. We are so lucky to live in a country, America, and so happy that Flagler let us light the menorah happily.”
The rain storm that started a couple hours before the celebration, subsided to allow the lighting of the menorah, but made keeping the candles lit a challenge. But it seemed that nothing was going to stop the celebration, or the children anxiously gathered a table filled with jelly doughnuts.