Celebrating the power of spirit

Bryce Alderton

A cold wind blowing across Bloomingdale’s Fashion Island courtyard

Sunday evening greeted Jews as they gathered to celebrate Hanukkah with

the lighting of the menorah.

“The Festival of Lights” officially began at sundown Sunday and runs

through this Sunday. It celebrates religious freedom when the Maccabee

Jews defeated a larger Syrian army in 165 B.C.

Rabbi Reuven Mintz of the Chabad Jewish Center in Newport Beach

invited the community, area officials, law enforcement, firefighters,

rescue personnel and New York City firefighter Evan King to ignite the

event. King lit the 12-by-10-foot menorah.

“Freedom, particularly religious freedom, takes special precedence

today and there’s no one better to represent the symbol of freedom than a

New York City firefighter,” Mintz said.

King was among those rescue personnel who dug through the World Trade

Center rubble following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

“It’s an honor to light the first candle of Hanukkah here and to be

able to share my experiences with people,” King said.

He encouraged the crowd to “appreciate every day we have and to think

positively that things will be better.”

Irvine residents Bob and Anne Davis made their first trip to Fashion

Island’s menorah lighting on Sunday.

“There’s all this stuff for other holidays, so it’s nice to have

something like this for the Jewish community,” Anne Davis said. “Freedom

of religion is so important -- to have tolerance for everybody.”

Mintz described Hanukkah, often called “The Miracle of Lights,” as

“light pushing away the darkness with friendship and compassion in the

world.”

Traditionally, one candle on the menorah is lit each night for eight

nights.

When the Maccabees reclaimed the temple in Jerusalem after defeating

the Syrians, there was only enough oil to light the lamps for one day,

but the lamps burned for eight days, allowing enough time to make new

oil.

This is why foods cooked in oil, such as latkes, are eaten during

Hanukkah, Mintz said.

“[The Jews] were spiritually strong but militarily weak,” Mintz said.

“Hanukkah in general [this year] has tremendous significance relating to

the state of the country and what we’ve gone through.”

* Bryce Alderton is the news assistant. He may be reached at (949)

574-4298 or by e-mail at o7 bryce.alderton@latimes.comf7 .