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With this year's theme being unity, Heather Harris and Julianne Jones explained the history of both holidays. A candlelighting of both the chanukiah and the kinara, a six-branched candelabra for Kwanzaa, followed.

Sponsors included the Jewish Community Relations Council, African-American Caucus Local 250, Marcus Books, Nayala Ethiopian Restaurant and Shenson's Delicatessen.

Kwanzaa is a weeklong harvest festival focusing on the social and spiritual needs of African-Americans and developed by Maulana Ron Karenga in December 1966.