Los Angeles – Light your menorah and head out on the road. It is the holiday of Chanukah, and residents are celebrating with a Festival of Lights, cruising through the streets of Los Angeles.

Like never before, this year’s Chanukah-Mobile parade, sponsored by the Chabad Student Outreach Group, will feature 100 cars with illuminated metal menorahs strapped to their roofs. Participants will gather at the West Coast Talmudical Seminary in Los Angeles just after sunset, the traditional time for lighting the candles.

The Parade will commence at 5:30 p.m. and participants are asked to arrive no later than 5:15 p.m. at 7215 Waring Ave (corner of Formosa).

Led by police escort and accompanied by loudspeaker music, the menorahs on parade will be making their way, headed east, through the West Hollywood area. Press are welcome throughout the route and at the Talmudical Seminary before for pictures and interviews. (For exact parade route details, please call or send an email.)

Why the parade?

“The parade is meant to publicize the miracle of Chanukah as widely as possible.” Says Rachel Kagan, who will be bringing her car to the parade.

It was 2,166 years ago that the Jews were subjected to the harsh rule of Syrian Greek oppressors, who issued decrees directed against the tenets and practices of the Jewish faith.

The Jews, who refused to sit by idly as enemies sought the extinction of their religion and the extirpation of their way of life, rose up and fought against the oppressor.

Though few in number and weak in strength, the Jews were victorious.

After banishing the tyrants and cleansing the land, they returned to the Temple where the Menorah (temple lamp), the symbol of the spiritual light of Israel, was kindled once again.

Though only one cruse of oil with enough to last for only one day was found undefiled, a miracle occurred and the oil in the menorah lasted for eight whole days until fresh oil was prepared.

Each year, to commemorate these miraculous events, Jews celebrate the festival of Chanukah and kindle menorahs- a proud statement to the world that the light of goodness cannot be dimmed, and the flame of truth shall not be extinguished.

Now, in light of recent events, the message of Chanukah rings more clearly than ever before.

“We find ourselves facing situations much like that of long ago.” Says Ari Shapiro, a student at the Talmudical Seminary. “It is a time when nations have decided that terror and the encroachment on peoples’ freedoms and rights will not be tolerated, and actions must be taken against [such acts], as with the invasion of Iraq and the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s regime.”

“Chanukah symbolizes the victory of light over darkness,” says Naftali Fishman, a fourth year sudent. “Darkness can’t be fought off with sticks and brooms, it must be driven back with light. The menorah is a symbol of universal freedom and peace, a symbol of goodness, of light.”

By tradition, the men

orahs are placed in doorways or windowsills- wherever their light can most be seen. Car menorahs serve as a modern innovation to this practice.

In addition

to the lighted cars, the parade will include the Mitzvah Mobile, a converted recreational vehicle full of educational Chanukah materials.

Chabad students will also be spreading throughout Los Angeles this week, visiting malls and shoppin

g ce

nters to distribute menorahs to those without, and spread the message of Chanukah.