Sunday’s festivities will begin at noon; torch-lighting will take place at 4:45 p.m. Rebbe Soul will be on hand to provide live music. On sale will be Chanukah T-shirts, dreidels and chanukiot.
Langer said that for the first time in 22 years, Chabad will sell latkes in Union Square during all eight days of the holiday.
He also will light the giant chanukiah each night of Chanukah. At 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, retiring state Sen. Milton Marks will light the torch. Langer said he plans to give a proclamation to honor the senator for 30 years of public service.
Other lightings will take place at the following times: 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6; 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 and at 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 9 to 12. For information, call (415) 362-6355.
According to the Talmud, a Chanukah menorah is supposed to be placed in a window for passersby to see. Its purpose is “to spread the miracle of God saving the Jewish people,” said Rabbi Yaakov Kagan, “of right over wrong, lightness over darkness — to show that truth prevails.”
Kagan, who became spiritual leader of Walnut Creek’s Chabad of Contra Costa a few months ago, will light a large chanukiah at 5:30 p.m. outside Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza Shopping Center, 1275 Broadway Plaza.
Achi ben Shalom will provide music. Children will be entertained by clowns, balloons, face-painting and dreidels.
“It’s nice for Jewish children to walk into a shopping center and say `Oh wow, it’s Chanukah season,'” he said.
Rabbi Yehuda Ferris of Chabad of the East Bay will light the first Chanukah candle at 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5 at U.C. Berkeley’s Sproul Plaza, Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue. The spiritual leader will play his guitar and pass out chocolate gelt.
A community Chanukah party will follow at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 at Berkeley’s Chabad House, 2643 College Ave. Cost is $4 for children, $8 for adults. For information, call (510) 540-5824.
For the 18th year, Chabad of the Greater South Bay will move its 17-foot chanukiah to the front of Palo Alto City Hall at 250 Hamilton Ave. and host a public lighting and celebration beginning at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8.
Palo Alto composer Larry Weisstein will provide keyboard music for dancing. Kids will be given dreidels. Hot cider and latkes will be sold. For information, call (415) 424-9800.
In Benicia, a two-foot wooden menorah, handmade by John Campbell, will be lit for the eighth year in a row. The event, sponsored by Benicia-Solano Jewish Women’s Network, will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8 at Veterans Memorial Hall, 1150 First St. Participants are asked to bring canned goods and to donate clothes for the less fortunate.
A Chanukah party, sponsored by Congregation B’nai Israel’s sisterhood, will follow at 5:30 p.m. at the Vallejo synagogue, 1256 Nebraska St. For reservations, call (707) 642-6526.