Adding light one day at a time: Hanukkah illumination starts Wednesday in Greenfield

Greenfield resident Jasper Lapienski lights the menorah on the Greenfield Common, marking the first day of Hanukkah in 2023. This year’s daily menorah lightings will continue through Wednesday, Jan. 2. STAFF FILE PHOTO/PAUL FRANZ
Published: 12-24-2024 9:48 AM |
GREENFIELD — With the goal of bringing “a little bit of light [to] dispel a lot of darkness,” in the words of organizer Jasper Lapienski, Greenfield will have a public Hanukkah menorah and community celebration for the second year in a row.
Lapienski, the creator of the Greenfield Orthodox Coalition, said the theme of bringing in light and dispelling darkness — an emphasis of the holiday — is especially important to him this year.
“We live in a very divisive and divided time,” Lapienski said. “A lot of people I know won’t interact with people who have political or social or religious differences from them, even within Judaism. What I found last year, to my surprise, was that really everyone came together and we had a near-universal enjoyment of the event and the menorah itself throughout the eight days in our community.”
The menorah, placed on the Greenfield Common, will be lit at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 25 (the first night of Hanukkah), and at the same time on Thursday, Dec. 26, and Friday, Dec. 27; 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28; and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 29, as well as Tuesday, Jan. 1, and Wednesday, Jan. 2. On Monday, Dec. 30, there will be a public illumination ceremony at 5:15 p.m.
The ceremony will include a dedication, blessings and remarks from Lapienski, Greenfield Mayor Ginny Desorgher and Rabbi Chaim Adelman of the Chabad House at Amherst.
In addition to speaking, Desorgher will also light the shamash, the candle used to light the other candles on the menorah. Because Desorgher is not Jewish, she cannot light the rest of the menorah, so Greenfield Board of Assessors Chair Jim Geisman, who is Jewish, will do so for her.
Desorgher said she is looking forward to having a public menorah in the city again this year. When Lapienski organized last year’s ceremony, it had been nearly 30 years since a menorah was last placed on the Greenfield Common.
“We are just thrilled to be welcoming people from all different religions and celebrating all the holidays that people hold dear. So, I’m delighted that we’ll have the menorah again this year on the common,” Desorgher said. “I’m happy to participate [and] happy to be a part of something that is meaningful to so many.”
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After Monday’s public illumination ceremony, there will be a potato pancake social at the Greenfield Public Library from 6 to 7:30 p.m., with games, kosher snacks, music from the JCA Klezmer Ensemble, and talks on Jewish history and mysticism.
Lapienski emphasized that Jews and non-Jews alike are welcome to attend the lightings each evening, as well as the main event on Monday. Additionally, he encouraged those interested in the event to attend and to encourage their friends to come as well.
Lapienski added that the event has a fundraising goal of $2,000. Though Lapienski built the menorah himself in advance of last year’s festivities for a price of about $900, any money raised will go toward the costs of fueling the menorah (about $150 over the eight nights), as well as paying the musicians and buying food for Monday’s event. Lapienski said he raised about $700 last year and roughly $800 has been donated so far this year.
Those who are interested in donating can call 413-512-7651 or send a check made out to the Greenfield Orthodox Coalition, c/o Jasper Lapienski, 34 Washington St., Greenfield, MA 01301.