Brass, iron, steel, ceramic, copper, wood or even really expensive crystal. The menorah resting upon your mantelpiece or in the front window may be composed of any of the above materials.
But the odds are it is not made of ice and doesn’t stand 5 feet high, weighing as much as a football lineman in full pads.
Rabbi Yehuda Ferris of Chabad of the East Bay knows how lonely one can get during the so-called “December dilemma,” and he’s come up with a rather unusual solution. It incorporates ice skating, Jewish music, Chanukah food and, of course, an ice menorah the size of Mickey Rooney.
“I’d love for singles and families to come, anyone from age 2 to 100. No, to 120,” said Ferris of the Sunday, Dec. 24 Chanukah party he and a number of East Bay Jewish leaders will be hosting at Berkeley Iceland. “We’ve got the skates and we’ll leave the light on for you.”
Along with Chabad, Oakland’s Orthodox Beth Jacob Congregation and Berkeley’s Orthodox Congregation Beth Israel, the Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center and Jewish Family and Children’s Services of the East Bay are co-sponsoring the event. Organizers hope for a turnout of several hundred.
There are plenty of activities for non-skaters and skaters alike, though Rabbi Yair Silverman of Beth Israel certainly counts himself among the latter.
“I’ve not skated for 36 months — that’s a pretty long stretch for a Canuck,” said the newly installed rabbi, a native of Montreal who grew up playing forward in pickup hockey games. “Who would have thought that within my first month here I’d be back on the ice again?”
But the centerpiece of the event — literally and figuratively — will be the gargantuan menorah, hewn from a 300-pound block of ice. Ferris predicts the Claremont Hotel chef who is responsible for carving the mammoth menorah may require the use of a chainsaw.
“This is going to be one big menorah,” deadpanned Silverman, who, for his part, swore he would repress his on-ice instincts to hip check, poke check and crash the boards.
“I’m not sure if it’ll be the biggest menorah I’ve ever seen — in Jerusalem in front of the Knesset they have a pretty large one, as well as the menorah they’ve got in Times Square. But this would definitely be the largest ice menorah. The very idea of combining fire and ice, I think that’s an interesting combo. One of extremes that we don’t often experience.”
From the Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay, Howard Goodman and Ami Nahshon, the president and executive vice president, respectively, will be on hand to light the towering menorah.
Skaters will have the opportunity to glide around the flaming menorah, but even for those without the almost congenital skating ability of a native French Canadian, there ought to be plenty to do.
Concession stands will offer latkes, sufganiot (jelly donuts) and kosher hot dogs. Attendees will have the opportunity to have their faces painted, create their own Chanukah candles and make dreidels (out of clay, just like the song), and even press olive oil.
Jewish CDs will grace the sound system and, in a nod to the Festival of Lights, Ferris plans a light show.
“This is a new twist on an old holiday,” said Ferris, who, unlike Silverman, has never blasted home a slapshot from the blue line but still considers himself a skater. “Once we get the light show going with the music and the skating and the menorah in the middle, it’ll be pretty fun.”
And Ferris warns that those unable to witness the mammoth menorah will not get a second chance.
“I have a feeling that it’s going to end up like Frosty the Snowman,” said the rabbi with a chuckle. “It doesn’t have any religious significance, so we can just leave it outside and let the sun do the rest.”