With the first night of Hanukah tonight, the synagogue had a massive celebration. Our synagogue has been under construction for the better part of five years and is finally complete (well, 95% complete, but what’s five percent among friends). Most of the money was donated by a Brazilian family with relatives in Alon Shvut who lost their son in a kidnapping/murder in Brazil. They have made it their mission to build synagogues all around Israel in his memory. So, there we were in the pouring rain and hail tonight, celebrating this beautiful building with hundreds of our neighbors from the Yishuv and special guest, including former Chief Sefardic Rabbi Eliayahu Bakshi Doron, Rav Haim Druckman and others.

In order to make it easier for everyone to come the yishuv had arranged for activities for all of the children, with a movie room, a mime, a ballon animal maker, etc. The kids had a blast!

It was a moving evening and an appropriate time to dedicate a synagogue – on the day when we remember the destruction of the Temple and the miracle that led our rebuilding.

May everyone have a beautiful, blessed Chanukah Sameach and may the light of the festival brighten all of our lives and bring peace to Eretz Yisrael and Am Yisrael.