'We want to experience unity': Jewish rapper Nissim Black performs at third annual 'Chanukah on Ice' in Columbia

Dec. 23—About 100 attendees braved the rain Thursday to celebrate the third annual "Chanukah on Ice" and watch rapper Nissim Black perform at Color Burst Park in Columbia.

"We wanted to make something which would bring people together, especially this year following all the challenges we've had over COVID-19 and the pandemic and the challenges to our democracy," said Rabbi Yanky Baron, who directs Chabad of Ellicott City alongside his wife, Leah.

Thursday's festivities, which also featured skating and a lighting ceremony for a 6-foot menorah made of ice, were hosted by Howard County's Chabads of Clarksville, Laurel, Columbia and Ellicott City.

Chabad is an international Hasidic movement with more than 3,500 centers in 100 countries that provides education, humanitarian and social services centered on Jewish values.

"The Chabad motto is an open door for everyone," Baron said. "We want to provide a Jewish experience that's most comfortable for the individual."

Howard County has about 18,700 Jewish residents, according to a 2019 study by Brandeis University.

"We're sort of small, but we make a lot of noise," Baron explained.

Baron, who organized the first "Chanukah on Ice" in 2020, says this week's celebration took on special significance as it's a year of Hakhel, or "gathering." Occurring every seven years, Hakhel commemorates when all Israelite men, women and children would gather at the temple in Jerusalem to hear the king read from the Torah.

As part of festivities, organizers arranged for Israel-based rapper Nissim Black to perform. Black, who grew up in Seattle and converted to Orthodox Judaism in 2011, represents the diversity of Jewish experiences that Baron hoped to highlight at "Chanukah on Ice."

"He's a Jew of color and he tries to bridge his culture as an African American ... with his current identity as a Jew," Baron said. "He shares an extremely important message to many people."

Ahead of Hanukkah and in the wake of widely publicized anti-semitic remarks by rapper Ye and other celebrities, Black released the music video "Victory," which pushes back against anti-Jewish sentiment and celebrates the festival of lights.

"Smaller numbers but we're strong now, we shared the news and showed the world we didn't fall down," Black sings from a boxing ring as a menorah glows by his side.

Although the rain saturated much of Black's Thursday performance, die-hard fans still turned out to party under umbrellas.

Attendance was free and Baron made sure to invite every synagogue in the county in an effort to unite a community that he says can feel spread out at times.

"We want to bring people together physically and we want to experience unity," he said. "It's sort of like a Hanukkah gift to the community."