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Giant menorah to light up Baltimore for first night of Chanukah

Posted at 1:46 PM, Dec 12, 2017
and last updated 2017-12-12 18:13:26-05

Tuesday marks the beginning of the festival of lights, and Baltimore is celebrating in a BIG way. 

A 30-foot menorah will illuminate the city sky for the first night of Chanukah at 5:00 p.m. in McKeldin Square at the Inner Harbor. Along with the towering menorah, a children's program 'Chanukah Wonderland' will be open starting at 3:30 p.m.

The event is sponsored by Chabad Lubavitch Center of Greater Baltimore in conjunction with the city. Along with local leaders and community members, Comptroller Franchot will be participating in the festivities. 

Chanukah is an eight-day celebration to commemorate a miracle that happened after years of oppression.

“Chanukah is celebrating a triumph of light over darkness and a victory of freedom over oppression,” says Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan, the regional director of Chabad Lubavitch of Maryland. 

Each night one candle is lit to celebrate the spiritual survival of Jews around 2,000 years ago.