Students Attend Menorah Lighting

About 30 students from the Conejo Jewish Day School gathered at Agoura Hills City Hall on Wednesday morning for the traditional lighting of the menorah.

The yearly City Hall event marks the start of Hanukkah, Judaism's Festival of Lights.

City Council members led by Mayor John Edelston, Mayor Pro Term Denis Weber, Ilece Buckley Weber and William Koehler joined the students and school staff.

This is the school’s 11th year celebrating the lighting of the menorah at City Hall. Different grade levels come every year, according to teacher Miri Peck. This year, third-, fourth- and fifth-graders were in attendance.

Rabbi Moshe Bryski of the Chabad of the Conejo presided over the important Hanukkah ritual. “This holiday is about religious freedom,” he told the students.

“It’s about change that we now enjoy since the time our forefathers were around,” he said. “The City Hall venue is symbolic because it means everyone in Agoura can practice their religion and the seat of government recognizes that.”

Hanukkah commemorates the historic victory of the Maccabees, a small group of resistance fighters who defeated the Syrian-Greeks and restored Jewish sovereignty.

The eight-day festival is signified by the nine-branch candelabra called the menorah. Eight candles are lighted from a central candle called a shamash.

Edelston and the City Council members were given a candle each as the students sang Hanukkah songs.

Rabbi Eli Broner talked about the Conejo Jewish Day School's theme of “attitude of gratitude.”

He said, “Go out in the community, do someone a favor and show you care.”

Before heading back to school, the students enjoyed a much-awaited traditional Hanukkah treat of jelly doughnuts.