On Thursday, December 14, N. Broom Street was alight in a new kind of way. The third night of Hanukkah, the evening was highlighted by a festive celebration put on by the Ballantyne Jewish Center.

With rocking Hebrew hymns, face painting, crafts for kids, and the lighting of the menorah, the night was filled with fun and tradition for all.

A dancing dreidel spun on the stage, and hip-hop beats encouraged top-tapping. Little ones ran freely among visiting adults, and the feel of a reunion populated the blocked-off street as friends greeted one another with hugs and “how have you been?!”

As the sun set, Rabbi Yisrael Levin led the crowd in a sacred lighting of the Menorah, where three days were marked, along with the shamash, by a lighted flame.

Hanukkah gelt, traditional chocolate coins passed to children during Hanukkah, were passed out after the prayers were finished. The remembrance of the miracle of the oil that burned for eight days in the Second Temple of Jerusalem was retold in traditional style.

Guests were treated to treats of hot coffee and Latkes – a friend potato dish which is meant to remind the faithful of the oil used in the lamps of the Temple.

With the dancing Menorah flames backed by the sparkling Christmas lights of the downtown Waxhaw area became a truly lovely sight to see with both the eyes and the heart.