Call it the festival of phosphorescent lights!
The Beach Haven Jewish Center celebrated the fourth night of Hanukkah with a glow-in-the-dark menorah and laser-light show on Dec. 27. The holiday celebrates a persistent candelabra that burned bright for eight days on one day’s worth of fuel, and organizers used the high-tech light show to get children interested in the biblical miracle, according to the Gravesend shul’s Rabbi.
“We thought it was a cool winter theme that sits well with Hanukkah, making light,” said Shimon Silver. “It would attract a crowd, it’s interesting, it’s different.”
Youngsters learned all about the high-intensity light beams through a scientific demonstration and then enjoyed traditional Hanukkah and Jewish-themed music synced up to a dazzling show.
And the shamash wasn’t the only thing aglow — kids got their faces painted with phosphorescent dreidels and other icons of Hanukkah that shined bright in the blacklight-lit room, said Silver, whose 2-year-old son Benny sported a glowing menorah on his cheek.
“In his little world, he had tons of fun,” the dad said. “He was very excited with the menorah on his face, he kept pointing to his cheek saying, ‘Look, look!’ ”
Youngsters also got to decorating sufganiyot — fried dough traditional to the holiday — and craft their own dreidels.
