By Mary O’KEEFE

The Chabad of the Crescenta Valley hosted The Chanukah Festival 2025 at Memorial Park in La Cañada Flintridge on the first day of Chanukah, Dec. 14. About 300 people attended the festive event.

It was held after the news spread of the mass shooting in Australia at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. There were an estimated 1,000-plus people gathered at the beach to celebrate the first day of Chanukah. Without warning shots rang out bringing the deadliest mass shooting in almost 30 years. The gunmen, a man and his son, killed 15 people including a 10-year-old child, a Holocaust survivor and a Chabad rabbi. Over 40 people were transported to the hospital. 

“We were all shaken to the core this morning by the horrific news coming out of Sydney, Australia … The Torah’s message, our message and the message of Chanukah, has always been we respond to darkness with light,” wrote Rabbi Mendy Grossbaum, Chabad of Crescenta Valley, as he invited people to the event. 

The event at Memorial Park was a celebration with music by a live klezmer band (a band that play traditional Eastern European Jewish music), lots of wonderful food (including jelly donuts and latkes), a bounce house and games for kids, a fire performer and gelt [gold foil-wrapped chocolate candy coins] dropped from a fire engine ladder courtesy of the LA County Fire Dept. 

Schneyer [CVW is using his first name only] from Chabad Yeshiva in Los Angeles was at the event dressed in a dreidel costume. 

“I wanted to bring happiness to all [of] the people gathered here and bring publicity to the miracle of Chanukah,” Schneyer said. “[Chanukah] symbolizes adding light … just increasing light and joy in the world and peace and everything good.”

The celebration was full of light – not just the physical sparkling lights on Memorial Park’s gazebo, but the light that comes from smiles and of people having fun; however, the thoughts were never far from mind of those who died and were injured in the latest attack fueled by antisemitism. 

Just before the giant menorah candle was lit, Rabbi Grossbaum spoke to those who were at the park. 

“This morning we learned about the tragic event that took place down under in Sydney, Australia, and I just wanted to share a little thought about Chanukah, a message of hope and light,” he said. 

He added this was the direction he had originally planned to go with his talk but it seemed even more appropriate at the present time. 

“If you’re in a dark room, it doesn’t take a lot of light to turn the darkness into light. Sometimes it can take one single candle, one single act, one good deed,” Grossbaum said. 

He lit the first candle.

“One candle, one bit of light,” Grossbaum said. “It’s a reminder to each of us when we find ourselves in such dark times, times that seem so dark we don’t know how we’re going to get out of it.”

He added, “We combat the darkness by lighting one candle …. One good deed, one good morning, one mitzvah … that’s what it’s all about.”

Then it was time for Kendall Magma of Blazing Dreams Entertainment to perform his fire show, which had the audience amazed. 

As Magma was ending his performance the Los Angeles County Fire Dept. ladder truck pulled up and raised its ladder. A firefighter climbed to the top of the ladder and tossed gelt, which had tiny parachutes attached, to kids waiting to catch them. 

“It’s important to continue to show up because just a little bit of light dispels much darkness,” said Grossbaum. “And so when there is tragedy and darkness in the world, our response is to light a flame of goodness and kindness to make the world  brighter. This lesson can be learned from Joseph – who, with the simple act of kindness [of] checking in on his fellow inmates (Genesis 40:7) changes the course of history.”

For those who missed the Dec. 14 celebration of Chanukah, on Dec. 20 there will be a celebration of the seventh day of Chanukah at the corner of Honolulu Avenue and Ocean View Boulevard in Montrose. “Light Up Honolulu – Bringing the Joy of Chanukah to the Streets” begins at 7 p.m. Attendance to this event is free.