Chabad of Fountain Hills will ignite a 12-foot Chanukah menorah erected on the Avenue of the Fountains across from the Chabad Edelman Jewish Center followed by a community-wide celebration on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 4:30 p.m., the first night of the eight-day holiday. The ceremony, organized by Chabad, will feature music, dreidels, gelt, crafts for kids, potato latkes and holiday doughnuts.

This year’s Chanukah campaign comes amid growing awareness of Chabad indelible impact on Jewish life. Pew Research Center’s 2020 survey of Jewish Americans revealed that 38% of all American Jews have participated in Chabad activities and services, of whom more than 75% do not identify as Orthodox.

Indeed, during the pandemic, demand for Chabad of Fountain Hills’ religious, humanitarian and educational services skyrocketed.

“We’ve seen a massive uptick in the level of engagement over the last year and a half,” Tzipi Lipskier said, director of programming at Chabad of Fountain Hills.

The menorah’s power is especially felt when it is lit with joy and enthusiasm, as it will be this year, in the year of Hakhel, with an added appreciation for the blessing of being able to gather once again as a community and celebrate together.

“The menorah serves as a symbol of Fountain Hills' dedication to preserve and encourage the right and liberty of all its citizens to worship G‑d freely, openly, and with pride,” Lipskier added. “This is true, especially in America, a nation that was founded upon and vigorously protects the right of every person to practice his or her religion free from restraint and persecution.”

The Menorah lighting is part of the worldwide Chanukah campaign, an initiative launched by the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 1973. The campaign highlights and encourages the central theme of the holiday: publicizing the story of the Chanukah miracle.

Today, the unprecedented public display of Chanukah has become a staple of Jewish cultural and religious life, forever altering the American practice and awareness of the festival. Fountain Hills' menorah is one of more than 15,000 large public menorahs sponsored by Chabad in more than 100 countries around the world, including in front of landmarks such as the White House, the Eiffel Tower, and the Kremlin, helping children and adults of all walks of life discover and enjoy the holiday message.

For more information about Chanukah and a local schedule of events, visit JewishFountainHills.com or call 480-795-6292.