Tewksbury Celebrates Hanukkah With Annual Menorah Lighting

Event has grown from a handful of residents

About 50 residents and guests came out Monday for the annual lighting of the town menorah to celebrate the fifth night of Hanukkah, the festival of light and warmth. There were latkes with applesauce as well as sufganiyot, and the Tewksbury Fire Department treated children to a gelt drop.

DJ Larry provided entertainment, and Rabbi Asher Bronstein of Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Center of Merrimack Valley and Tewksbury resident Jim Shainker offered remarks.

State Representatives Vanna Howard, Tram Nguyen and David Robertson helped Select Board members Patrick Holland and Jayne Wellman light the menorah.

DJ Larry brought a limbo stick and hula hoops to entertain kids in attendance.

The menorah lighting ceremony, which symbolizes the victory of light over darkness, has grown in popularity in the past few years. In fact, Tewksbury’s ceremony inspired Howard to bring the tradition to Lowell for the first time this year.

“We came here, we had four or five people maybe join us,” said Shainker, who is host and producer of L’Chaim Jewish Radio on 980 WCAP in Lowell. “It’s so gratifying that we can come here now and see so many people.”

Bronstein thanked TPD Chief Ryan Columbus and TFD Chief Ed Kearns for their support and for ensuring the event could be held safely.

“Because of you, we can express our Judaism, we can express our faith, without being afraid,” said Bronstein.

There was good reason for concern. The FBI reported 1,122 incidents of antisemitic crimes in 2022. Between Oct. 7 and Dec. 7 2023, the ADL recorded 2,031 antisemitic incidents, a 337% year-over-year increase.

“We did our due diligence, with what’s going on,” said Columbus, including monitoring social media and reaching out to surrounding towns that have had uneventful menorah lightings.

Wellman, who is chair of the Tewksbury DEI Advisory Committee, thanked Chabad Lubavitch for helping Tewksbury’s Jewish residents celebrate Hanukkah.

“This is another way Tewksbury strives to be an inclusive community, and it is well supported by our Fire and Police departments, as well as our legislative delegation and the town at large,” she said. “Most importantly, this event grows annually.”

TFD provided a ladder truck for the chocolate gelt drop.