Locals Light Menorahs to Celebrate First Night of Chanukah

The stormy weather did not stop residents of West Hempstead from celebrating the first night of Chanukah with a menorah lighting service held at the local Jewish Community Center.

The wet and windy weather on Dec. 1 forced the evening ceremony to move inside this year, where a small group of locals gathered to light the first candle.

The village of Malverne also held its own menorah lighting ceremony last night. They had planned to light the large menorah that now stands in front of the fountain on Hempstead Avenue, but the inclement weather forced residents and village officials to change the location to the Malverne Jewish Center.

"It was a beautiful ceremony," Mayor Patrician Norris-McDonald said.

This year, Chanukah runs from Dec. 1 to Dec. 9. The menorah lighting is the first event in an extensive line-up of holiday festivities planned for the village of Malverne this month. The Lighting of Malverne will be held on Saturday, Dec. 4.

West Hempstead also plans to light the menorah located outside Hall's Pond this Sunday, Nov. 5 . The ceremony will be held immediately following the West Hempstead Community Support and Civic Association's children's holiday party, which will run from 2pm-4:30pm at West Hempstead Middle School.