Thursday, October 1, 2026
More than 200 people filled Congregation Beth Tikvah in Wantagh last month for its annual Hanukkah celebration.
The synagogue welcomed congregants, families, friends and community members for an evening of tradition, togetherness and light.
Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of light. It celebrates the legend of a single flask of pure oil found in the Temple that was sufficient for just one day, but miraculously burned for eight. The word means 'dedication' and celebrates one of the greatest miracles in Jewish history. The dates of Hanukkah change every year, but it will always fall in November or December and lasts for eight days.
"Seeing all the people here warms our hearts,” Rabbi Moshe Weisblum said. “The size of this gathering speaks volumes. It tells a story of connection, belonging, and a community that chooses to come together.”
Weisblum led a ceremony to light the menorah alongside synagogue staff and congregants. After the lighting, he reflected on the deeper meaning of the holiday.
“Surrounded by music, laughter, dancing and generations sharing one space,” Weisblum said. “We celebrate not only the miracle of the oil, but the miracle of showing up for one another. Each candle pushes back a little more darkness, and each person here adds to that light. May the spirit of this beautiful turnout carry into our homes, our hearts, and the year ahead."
Throughout the celebration, attendees enjoyed dancing, potato latkes with applesauce, food and drink, gifts and games — and even a Hanukkah clown.
“Hanukkah teaches that even something small can make a great difference, and tonight we see the opposite truth as well,” Weisblum added. “When many people bring their light, the warmth becomes overwhelming.”
Entertainment for the evening was provided by the synagogue’s CBT band. Congregation Beth Tikvah is a conservative egalitarian synagogue located near the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway, on Woodbine Avenue in Wantagh.
