'Praying for a miracle': Fourth day of Hanukkah celebrated in Ormond Beach

ORMOND BEACH ― Shani Chen joined her family on Sunday to celebrate Hanukkah but her memories of Israel ― sirens and 15-second runs to bomb shelters to escape incoming missiles ― still haunt her.

The 34-year-old make-up artist from Rishon Le Zion, Israel, arrived in Ormond Beach a month ago hoping to find some peace and calm for herself and her three children ages 8, 5, and 3.

She was celebrating Hanukkah with her children at Chabad Lubavitch of Greater Daytona Beach. Chen was in Israel when Hamas attacked on Oct. 7, about an hour away.

She goes back to Israel in two weeks and she hopes that all the events that started Hanukkah thousands of years ago, occur again ― that Israel will overcome its enemies, and overcome darkness, so people in her country can live a more peaceful life.

"Right now you live on anxiety attacks every day," Chen said. "When you go out and you hear the sirens, you are not sure you can get to a bomb shelter in time."

Those in Israel have 15 seconds to get to a bomb shelter once the sirens sound, said Chen's sister, Lisa Ron.

Chen was not alone in praying for miracles.

How Hanukkah started

Rabbi Pinchas Ezagui said Hanukkah this year, which started Thursday, is more significant because Jews worldwide are watching Israel battle Hamas terrorists, who killed at least 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7.

He said today's war in Gaza has similarities with the war the Maccabees fought more than 2,000 years ago when the Syrian-Greek King Antiochus also attacked and killed Jews.

Ezagui said a group of priests, known as the Maccabees, rebelled against the Syrian-Greek authority to retake their temple in Jerusalem.

Antiochus imposed decrees on Jews forbidding them from celebrating their religion.

"And (Syrian Greeks) actually went in the temple in Jerusalem, and they actually put a god, paganism, in the actual temple," Ezagui explained. "So a group of priests, we refer to today as Maccabees got together and fought back."

It took the Maccabees three years to retake the temple and rededicate it, Ezagui said.

"The word rededication is called Hanukkah," the rabbi said.

Miracle of the menorah

The small number of Maccabees that prevailed against the powerful Syrian-Greek army may sound unbelievable but the true miracle occurred after the Maccabees took the temple back, the rabbi recounted.

A menorah was lit every day, and after the Maccabees won, they found that the Syrian-Greeks had defiled all the sacred oil and there was none left. But eventually, the Maccabees found a jar that was not defiled but it was enough to burn for only a day.

"They found ultimately one jar of oil that was not defiled, good for a day, and miraculously it lasted eight days, enough time to get new oil," Ezagui said.

"The story of the menorah is the oil, that's why it's so important to emphasize the miracle of the menorah. God was telling the Jews and the world, it's the hand of God that makes things happen."

Celebrating with prayers

Those who came to the Chabad Lubavitch of Greater Daytona Beach on Sunday spoke of that miracle that occurred more than 2,000 years ago.

And though they enjoyed traditional Jewish food, music and the lighting of the menorah, they said their thoughts and prayers were for the people of Israel and the soldiers fighting in the current war.

"My husband is there and we are praying for a miracle," Chen said.

"Israel went through a huge terror attack on Oct. 7 and we've been in the dark since then, and Hanukkah symbolizes going from the darkness into the light," said Ron. "For me being here means the people of Israel are alive and we will make it through this hard time with the miracles that we get every time."

When the time came to light the menorah at Sunday's celebration, a crowd packed the Chabad's parking lot. Dancing was followed by applause and cheers as those in attendance celebrated the fourth day of Hanukkah, which ends Friday.

Gila Behore, of Ormond Beach, said she finds herself praying more these days.

"We are here to celebrate our miracle, working on a future miracle because we need another one now with all that's going on in Israel," Behore said.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: 'Praying for a miracle': Hanukkah celebrated in Ormond Beach