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Thank you to Chabad Jewish Center of Wyoming for sending us this information on the State Capitol’s Chanukah Celebration! You can learn more about Wyoming’s Jewish community in our upcoming winter issue of Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine — in the meantime, mark your calendars to attend this important event!

10-FOOT MENORAH TO LIGHT UP STATE CAPITOL BUILDING, AS PART OF WORLD’S LARGEST CHANUKAH OBSERVANCE  

Chabad Jewish Center of Wyoming to Light Up One of 10,000 Public Menorahs Worldwide, Symbolizing Universal Message of Religious Freedom

WHAT:

Chabad Jewish Center of Wyoming, based in Jackson but serving Jewish Wyomingites across the State, will ignite a public 10-foot menorah erected at the State Capitol Building, followed by a community-wide celebration on the 7th day of Chanukah, Tuesday, December 27, 2011. The ceremony will feature Chanukah songs from the Montessori School of Cheyenne children’s choir, Menorah kindling with beloved Holocaust survivor siblings Zolly Gancz and Hellen Zigmond and greetings from community leaders and elected officials.  Following the menorah lighting ceremony, many will dance, sing and eat delicious Chanukah treats such as potato latkes and jelly doughnuts.

The public menorah lighting was organized by Chabad Rabbi Zalman Mendelsohn, Executive Director of the Chabad Jewish Center of Wyoming, who remarked, “The Menorah serves as a symbol of Wyoming’s dedication to preserve and encourage the right and liberty of all its citizens to worship G-d freely, openly, and with pride.  Specifically in America, a nation that was founded upon and vigorously protects the right of every person to practice his or her religion free from restraint and persecution, the Menorah takes on profound significance, embodying both religious and constitutional principles.”

Shira Michaels from Cheyenne, who is looking forward to attending the public menorah lighting commented, “I want my kids to grow up with pride in their Jewish heritage and a feeling of equality and self-confidence as an American. Chabad’s Chanukah Menorahs are arguably one of the most important developments ever to help my child’s education. I wish they had this where I grew up.”

The Capitol menorah is one of thousands of large public menorahs sponsored by Chabad throughout the world, helping children and adults of all walks of life discover and enjoy the holiday message.

Throughout the State of Wyoming, Chabad will be presenting scores of Chanukah events and celebrations, including public menorah lightings, public menorah displays, joyous Chanukah parties and more. To find a local event in Wyoming or practically anywhere throughout the world, visit www.JewishWyoming/ChanukahEvents. For more information about Chanukah and a local schedule of events, visit JewishWyoming.com/Chanukah.

GREAT PHOTO AND VIDEO OPPS!!

WHEN:

Tuesday, December 27, 2011; 12:00 p.m. until 1:00 p.m.

WHERE:

State Capitol Building, 200 West 24th Street, Cheyenne, WY; West Hallway

WHY:

Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, recalls the victory – more than 2,200 years ago – of a militarily weak, but spiritually strong, Jewish people over the mighty forces of a ruthless enemy that had overrun the Holy Land and threatened to engulf the land and its people in darkness.

The miraculous victory of religious freedom was compounded by a second great miracle that took place when only one jug of sacred oil was found still pure and sealed.  The Maccabees poured the one-day supply of oil into the great Menorah and rekindled the Menorah that had been desecrated and extinguished by the enemy.  The small amount of oil did not burn out at the end of the first day, but continued to burn continuously for eight days, until the special process for preparing new oil could be completed.

Lighting the Chanukah Menorah reminds us of these events and also serves as a universal symbol and a cosmopolitan message of triumph of freedom over oppression, of spirit over matter, of right over might, of light over darkness. This crucial message is at the heart of every Wyomingites’ and every Americans’ hope for better days ahead.

Chanukah Low-Fat Potato Latke Recipe

· 3 teaspoons vegetable oil, preferably canola

· 2 pounds russet potatoes (about 4 or 5), peeled

· 3/4 cup finely chopped red onion (about 1 medium onion)

· 1/4 cup all-purpose white flour

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

· 1 large egg, lightly beaten

· 1 large egg white, lightly beaten

Set oven racks at middle and lower positions of the oven. Preheat oven to 450° F. Prepare 2 baking sheets by brushing with 1 teaspoon oil on each sheet.

Grate potatoes using hand grater or shredding blade of food processor. Place in a large bowl and add onions, flour, salt and pepper; toss to mix well. Add egg, egg white and remaining 1 teaspoon oil; toss to mix.

Drop onto prepared cookie sheets by the tablespoonful and press lightly to form cakes. Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown on the bottom. Flip latkes, switch position of baking sheets, and bake about 5 more minutes, or until golden brown.

Transfer to a platter, arranging browned-side up, and serve with no-fat sour cream or applesauce, or both. May be made ahead and stored overnight in fridge. Reheat at 350° F for 10 minutes. Makes about 24 latkes.

Tip: Use the grater attachment of a food processor to simultaneously grate both the potatoes and the onion. Set the shredded material in a colander over a bowl to catch the dripping liquid. When the grated potato-onion mixture stops squishing combine with the egg, egg white and remaining teaspoon of oil as above. Carefully pour out the liquid collected from under the grated potatoes and onions, taking care to save the white cake which has formed at the bottom of the bowl (the potato starch). Add this white stuff to the latke mixture and mix well. Complete the above recipe as written.

At WLM, we strive to appreciate all walks of life, and are proud of our history as The Equality State. Thank you to the Wyoming state government for recognizing this important event!

‘Til Next Time,

Kati Hime, Editor

editor@wyolifestyle.com

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