“One of the messages of the menorah is to be a symbol of light to the nations,” continued the spiritual leader of Chabad of S.F. “A little light dispels a lot of darkness.”
This year at Justin Herman Plaza — the usual location, Union Square, is under renovation — entertainers will begin performing at 2 p.m. to mark the city’s annual Bill Graham Menorah Day.
San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown; Sam Salkin, chief executive officer of the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation; and others will join Langer for the ceremony named for the rock promoter who donated the chanukiah in 1975.
Lightings for the remaining nights of Chanukah will take place at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10 through Thursday, Dec. 13 and also Sunday, Dec. 16; at 3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14; and at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15. The plaza is located at the corner of Market Street and The Embarcadero. For information, call (415) 362-6355.
Several other public menorot will be lit during the Festival of Lights.
Chabad of Noe Valley’s two chanukiah lightings will take place at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9 at the corner of 24th and Noe streets and at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 18th and Castro streets.
Celebrators who arrive at 4 p.m. can make their own chanukiot for $3. There will be hot latkes, music, balloons, dreidels, Chanukah gelt and a raffle. For information, call (415) 821-7046.
When students from the Jewish Community High School of the Bay, Brandeis Hillel Day School, Gan Israel and other Jewish day schools pass the torch to light a menorah at Northgate Mall in Terra Linda during Chanukah, they will be providing what Chabad of Marin’s Rabbi Hillel Scop refers to as a “lot of light in darkness.”
Brandeis Hillel second-graders will sing and Klezmorim will perform at the 5:30 p.m. ceremony Sunday, Dec. 16. Food, face-painting and a visit by Vernon Glenn, KRON-TV sportscaster, will be featured, and the 6-foot white chanukiah will glow. For information, call (415) 492-1666.
In the Napa Valley, an electric chanukiah will be plugged in at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 16 at Lyman Park, 1400 Main St., St. Helena. For information, call (707) 963-9632.
In the East Bay, Beth Chaim Congregation will sponsor its fourth annual public chanukiah lighting beginning at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9 and continuing each night through Saturday, Dec. 15 at the shops at Blackhawk, 3480 Blackhawk Plaza Circle.
At 6 p. m. Sunday Dec. 16, the celebration will move to the Reutlinger Community for Jewish Living, 4000 Camino Tassajara, Danville.
On Dec. 9, Rob Kessler, superintendent of schools for the San Ramon Valley School District, will light the 7-foot, 250-pound mahogany chanukiah, which was designed by Jon Bronstein and built by fellow Beth Chaim congregants.
Joining an interfaith celebration Friday, Dec. 14 will be representatives from the San Ramon Valley Islamic Center, the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County, the Baha’i Faith, the Peace Lutheran Church, the Danville Congregational Church, San Damiano Retreat, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church.
Both of those nights will feature music, entertainment, hot chocolate and cookies. For information, call (925) 362-0347.
Rabbi Yehuda Ferris of Chabad House of Berkeley will light a 10-foot portable metal chanukiah at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9 at Oakland’s Jack London Square.
Succeeding lightings will take place at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10 in Piedmont Park and at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12 at Cody’s Books, 1730 Fourth St., Berkeley. For information, call (510) 540-5824.
In Walnut Creek, Rabbi Yaakov Kagan plans to set alight Chabad of Contra Costa’s 8-foot chanukiah made of gold-painted pipes at 4:30 p.m. both on Sunday, Dec. 9 and Dec. 16 at Broadway Plaza Mall, 1275 Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek.
Attendees will get doughnuts and gifts. A children’s choir will sing. Lightings on other days of Chanukah will take place at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 10 through Thursday, Dec. 13; at 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 14 and at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15. For information, call (925) 937-4101.
In the South Bay, Chabad of the Greater South Bay will light its 12-foot wooden chanukiah at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 9 at City Hall Plaza, 250 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto.
Rabbi Yosef Levin said kids will get free dreidels and everyone will get latkes and hot cider. For information, call (650) 424-9800.
The Los Altos Village Association plans a public lighting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 11 at the Community Plaza at Main and State streets. For information, call (650) 949-5282.