Smyrna celebrates the Festival of Lights

Dec. 1—SMYRNA — More than 100 people gathered outside Brawner Hall Monday night to celebrate Hanukkah with Jewish food, a menorah lighting and candy tossed from a fire engine.

"We all know that the message of the light of the menorah is that a little bit of light, just a bit of light, dispels lots of darkness," Rabbi Avremel Zaltzman told the crowd. "And what that teaches us is that in our life, with our family, our community, in business, wherever it may be, a small act of goodness, a small act of kindness, can be a gamechanger, can make a big difference."

Zaltzman, the head of Chabad of Smyrna and Vinings, compared the flickering of a candle's flame to the ups and downs of life before lighting the menorah.

"Remember that if today wasn't the best day, tomorrow's gonna be better," Zaltzman said. "And you're always a light shining to this world."

Before and after the lighting, Hanukkah-themed music was pumped through speakers as attendees enjoyed potato latkes and jelly doughnuts, traditional Hanukkah fare.

The Smyrna Fire Department used a fire engine's extendable ladder to suspend firefighters in the air and facilitate a "gelt drop." Gelt chocolate, Hanukkah-themed coins wrapped in gold foil, were showered onto the pavement to be collected by children, while dreidels tied to miniature parachutes floated down to the crowd.

"It was fun, it was festive, I'm so impressed with the big turnout that they had," said Betsy Alpert, who attended with her husband and two kids. "And I love that they have the potato latkes and the jelly doughnuts."

This marked the second consecutive menorah lighting to be held at Brawner Hall. Zaltzman founded the local Chabad chapter with his wife, Mushky, in March of last year. Zaltzman's parents-in-law run the east Cobb chapter of Chabad, one of the largest Jewish organizations in the world.

"They say where you find Coca-Cola, you find Red Cross, you're gonna find Chabad there too," Zaltzman said.

The timing of opening the Smyrna-Vinings chapter was unfortunate — just as COVID-19 forced people into quarantine — but Zaltzman believes the pandemic led to people craving community involvement. When it couldn't hold large gatherings, the organization soldiered on by meeting people outside their homes and bringing food.

"We've come to learn that we don't survive in isolation," Zaltzman said. "The lack of human connection ... we thought with our social media platforms and so on, that will suffice. And so now, God willing ... as the world continues to get to a better place post-COVID, we take the message of the menorah, which is light. The darkest thing is to be secluded, to be ununified, to be lonely, to be alone. And so we take the message of light, which is unity, connection, love, happiness, and really think about our neighbors, our family, our community. And think about, 'How can I spread light?'"

Attendees spoke positively about bringing more Jewish civic involvement and events to the area.

"The turnout was more than ever before, which says a lot about the city, says a lot about Chabad of Smyrna," said Smyrna resident Amit Ofek. "I mean, we enjoy every year and this one was the best."

Mayor Derek Norton was invited to light the shammash, the serving candle used to light the others. The mayor said a menorah has been placed outside city hall for the first time.

"I just want y'all to know that the Jewish community and your contributions to this great city are so valued and appreciated," Norton said. "And I look forward to the great things that we're going to accomplish together in the months and years ahead."

For Alpert, the meaning of the holiday is summed up with one of her favorite quotes, "May the lights of Hanukkah usher in a better world for all humankind."

"I think it's just a really nice message that shows that there can be light in darkness, and that there's good all around us," Alpert said. "I know it can be a very hostile time — politics, mask mandates and COVID and whatever. But I just think that Hanukkah can be very unifying and show that there still is light, and good, and community love."