On Saturday, December 4, on the seventh night of Hanukkah, members and friends of Kehillat Bet Hamidrash/Kempsville Conservative Synagogue gathered to celebrate the Festival of Lights.
Beginning with Havdalah and continuing with lighting a chanukiyah inside and another outside, there was truly a sense of bringing light into our lives! This was a celebration not only of the holiday, but of returning to activities and services inside the building—a kind of rededication to being together in person again. Vaccinated and masked (except when eating), congregants sang, chatted, and caught up with each other. There were crafts and games for the children (and an occasional adult) who were having as much fun just being together as the adults were. Of course, it wouldn’t be a celebration without food—homemade latkes, tuna fish and salad, soufganiyot, and lots of chocolate gelt.