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Chanukah celebrations come to Whistler

Mitzvah on the Mountain provides traditional services

Although this isn’t the first year that Jewish families will celebrate Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, in Whistler, for the first time a pair of rabbis will be offering a full range of religious and traditional services throughout the eight-day holiday.

In co-operation with the local Jewish community and Rabbi Yitzchak Wineberg from Vancouver-based Lubavitch B.C., Rabbis Schneur Wineberg (Yitzchak’s son) and Yaacov Behrman have agreed to spend Chanukah in Whistler.

Both are currently studying in New York City, where they work with the international Chabad organization bringing aid to foreign countries. They also provide support to Jewish communities in areas around the world that don’t have established communities, synagogues or community centres. In recent years Yaacov has been to places like Nigeria and Russia, and Schneur has spent time in Italy and France.

But when they were invited to bring Chanukah to Whistler, they were on almost the next plane from New York to Vancouver.

"One moment we’re sitting and talking and we get a call saying they need two guys to go to Whistler, the next day we go on a plane, rented a car and we’re here," said Wineberg.

This year Chanukah runs from Dec. 25 to Jan. 2, but Wineberg and Behrman have been offering their services from Dec. 18 and will remain in Whistler until Jan. 5.

Judging by their approach they’re already having a lot of fun with it.

They’ve called their mission "Mitzvah on the Mountain: Your Centre for Judaism on Whistler-Blackcomb". They have posters advertising their services and have set up "The Whistler Totally Jewish Hotline" at 778-889-7701. There is also a link to the event on the Lubavitch B.C. website at www.lubavitchbc.com .

During Chanukah they are planning to hold daily services in the morning at 7:30 a.m. and in the evening – "pre-ski and post-ski" says Wineberg. They also plan to light a Menorah daily at 4:15 p.m. in Town Plaza by the gazebo; hold daily Torah study for levels; host a Daf Yomi Class; host Friday Night Services and Shabbaton, host a Shabbat dinner on Saturday; organize a program for teens and youths; have a community social dinner on Wednesday, and lead an interactive olive press program, as well as other traditional Chanukah programs. They also plan to bring a Torah scroll to Whistler for services, and are hoping to get 10 Jewish men together for a minyon prayer.

All of the events except for the Wednesday night dinner will be at the Telus Whistler Conference Centre in the Garibaldi Room. The dinner location will be posted on the hotline.

If they have time, the Rabbis also plan to do a little skiing. Wineberg says that he does "ski a little – not well but a little," and Berhman says: "I don’t know if I ski, but I’ll find out soon enough."

They do not know how large Whistler’s Jewish community is, but a few parents have started a bi-weekly program so their children can study for their Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs. They also held their first organized High Holidays in Whistler this fall with the aid of a Vancouver Rabbi.

In addition they know of several second homeowners from Vancouver who are interested in celebrating Chanukah in Whistler, and have fielded questions from interested people in New York and Europe.

"Rabbi Wineberg in Vancouver comes up every year, one of the nights for Chanukah and he decided there was a big enough demand from the locals and Jewish tourists for this kind of program," said Wineberg. "There are a lot of Jewish people that come here. I would say two to three thousand.

"Chanukah does seem to be one of the most celebrated Jewish holidays. They like the lights, the focus on kids with the presents. The kids seem to like it as well, probably because it lasts eight days."

Behrman points out that Chanukah is actually a celebration that all people of faith can celebrate, as well as all Jews regardless of how religious or secular they are.

Its origin dates back more than 2,100 years ago when Jews revolted against Greek emperor Atiochus IV in Israel, after he made Judaism illegal. They recovered the Temple in Jerusalem and established self-rule for the next 100 years. There was only enough ritual purified olive oil left in the Temple for a single day to rededicate the Temple, but somehow it lasted for eight nights. That’s why Chanukah lasts for eight nights.

"A small army won against the Greek empire of the day, and in the process they won freedom of religion. (Chanukah) is as much to celebrate the fact that we are all free to do as we please," said Behrman.

There’s also a symbolic element to lighting the Menorah.

"We can’t sweep away darkness, we have to fight darkness by bringing in a light. We also fight it by doing acts of goodness and generosity, helping people and being friendly."

For more information and regular updates on events and venues for Mitzvah on the Mountain, you can call the Totally Jewish Hotline at 778-889-7701 (Vancouver number). Some information will also be posted online at www.lubavitchbc.com.