The 37th annual South Florida Chassidic Chanukah Festival is getting bigger and better. Some 10,000 people have participated each year since the event was moved to Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach in 2007. Staff and volunteers are preparing the upcoming festival on Tuesday, December 27 at 7 p.m. and have coordinated a star-studded program that will guarantee the biggest attendance ever.
The Chabad of South Broward event featuring Avraham Fried and 8th Day is sponsored by Kosher Central, Hallandale Beach, Gulfstream Park & Casino and www.Sunny.org. The festival will take place in Hallandale Beach, at Gulfstream Park, US1 and Hallandale Beach Blvd.
Avraham Fried will be performing live. His music includes pop, rock and jazz, with Jewish lyrics and themes. 8th Day, which was co-founded by brothers Shmuel and Bentzi Marcus, is one of Jewish music’s hottest acts. Fans and critics alike continue to be enthralled with the creativity and innovation of this one-of-a-kind music group.
The festival is seen live around the world via Chabad.org.
Other festival highlights include the lighting of Florida’s largest menorah, led by Rabbi Yossy Lebovics and a large lineup of community leaders and dignitaries, free Chanukah gelt and goodies for the thousands of children in attendance, a delicious dinner (for a nominal fee) and scores of valuable prizes.
Rabbi Levi Tennenhaus, the event’s coordinator and Chabad’s program director, encourages those who can afford to get reserved seating, “The event, as always, is free. However, in addition to our major sponsors, individuals may reserve VIP seats for $100 per seat. This will help the festival, which runs at an enormous cost and accommodate individuals who want to sit up front with seats reserved exclusively for them and their families.”
Chanukah marks the birthday of Chabad of South Broward. The organization runs over 45 programs and agencies. They include: Project PRIDE, a non-sectarian drug prevention and education program; The Friendship Circle, an interactive program for youngsters with special needs; Chaya Aydel Seminary, Florida’s only teacher’s seminary for women; CHAI TOTS preschool and Hebrew school; Bar and Bat mitzvah clubs; CTEEN Club; three mikvehs accessible to the physically challenged; Camp Gan Israel; a kollel for businessman and professionals; and 15 synagogues.
Chabad of South Broward is headed by Rabbi Raphael and Goldie Tennenhaus, who came to Broward County as shluchim (emissaries) of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M Schneerson, in December 1980.
For more information or to reserve VIP seats, call 954-458-1877 or e-mail [email protected] or log on to chanukahfestival.com.