How Barrie is celebrating Hanukkah and Kwanzaa

Rabbi Zev Kaplan (far right) lighting the grand hanukkiah at Town Hall along with Town officials for the fourth night of Hannukah in Innisfil, Ont., on Sun., Dec. 10, 2023 (Source: Chabad Innisfil/Supplied)

While many were opening the last of their Christmas gifts Wednesday night, the Jewish communities in Barrie and Simcoe County were lighting the first Hanukkah candle and gearing up for eight days of festivities.

• Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device 
• Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox

Here are some of the noteworthy events that took place and that are set to take place across the region for the Jewish Festival of Lights.

• Grand Menorah Lighting & ‘Chanukah Fest’: Chabad Jewish Centre of Barrie lit a 10-foot menorah on Huronia Road in Barrie for the first night Wednesday evening, which was followed by a special community celebration.
• Shabbat Dinner: Am Shalom Congregation in Barrie will hold a Shabbat dinner Friday evening according to their website, which will include the lighting of the third candle and an open mic night.
• Light Up Innisfil: Chabad Innisfil will hold a ‘Chanukah Celebration’ for the fifth night Sunday evening, featuring a grand menorah lighting, latkes and doughnuts, live music and a LED robot performance.
• OPP Menorah Lighting Ceremony: Ontario Provincial Police General Headquarters in Orillia will be the site of a province-wide candle lighting ceremony for the sixth night Monday evening. OPP Commissioner Tom Carrique, Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner and Chabad Innisfil Rabbi Zev Kaplan are set to lead all six OPP Regional Headquarters in a candle-lighting service through an interactive live feed.

“Celebrating Hanukkah is a potent point of light, Jewish pride and confidence for Canadian Jews in the fight against darkness and antisemitism,” said Rabbi Mendel Nakkar from Chabad Jewish Centre of Barrie in a media release this week. "The celebration of Hanukkah underscores the God endowed liberty that is at the heart of what Canada represents.”

This year’s holiday season marks the first time in almost two decades that Christmas Day coincided with the first night of Hanukkah, the last of which was in 2005. The last time Christmas Eve and the first night of Hanukkah overlapped was in 2016.

Boxing Day Thursday also marked the beginning of the African American celebration of Kwanzaa, which runs until January 1st. UPlift Black and other local partners will be holding a Newcomer Night Kwanzaa Edition event at 12 Dunlop Street East in Barrie Friday evening.

With files from CTV’s Cheryl Browne.