Needham Temple is Crowdsourcing the Holidays

For hanukkah, Needham's Chabad Jewish Center has a reputation of making a memorable, unique menorah--in the past, they have used LEGO bricks, toys, ice, and people. This year, they are using the internet and imagination.

Next week, a crowd-sourced menorah will be lit on Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m. in the Needham Town Common. 

“On one hand, we’re very traditional; on the other hand, we’re very cutting edge,” Rabbi Mendy Krinsky director at Chabad Jewish Center told the Globe. “We’re here to serve the people on their level in 2012, and we’re going to use the tools of the modern era to spread our message.”

In October, the Chabad Jewish Center partnered with Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) to host a Menorah design contest. Contestants built a virtual Menorah using PTC's Creo product design software and submitted it for judgement.

The Center chose one menorah to be made and lit on the Town Common next week, during the Jewish holiday of hanukkah. The winner will receive an iPad or $500 cash. 

See the full Globe Story here.

After the menorah is kindled, the common will feature live music, dancing, donuts, hot beverages and more. 

See a Globe Gallery of Needham's menorah lightings throughout the years here.

Below is the full press release from the Chabad Jewish Center:

JEWISH COMMUNITY TO LIGHT WINNING MENORAH

The Jewish community will celebrate the Festival of Lights at the annual public Menorah lighting ceremony. The Chanukah celebration a project of the Chabad Jewish Center, will take place on Tuesday, December 11th at 6 PM (the 4th night of Chanukah) on the Needham Town Common. The past few years have featured Menorahs made out of ice, toys, legos, balloons and even humans.

This year, in partnership with Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) there was a contest to choose the Menorah which will be lit in front on the town common. Contestants built a virtual Menorah using PTC's Creo® product design software. The most creative and original Menorah will be chosen to be manufactured and lit on the Needham Town Common on December 11th. The winner will also receive an iPad or $500 cash.  

Following the kindling, the program will feature live music, dancing, donuts, hot beverages and more. Chanukah propagates the universal message that ultimately good will prevail over evil, freedom over oppression and light over darkness. For many, Chanukah brings back fond memories of childhood years and serves to renew a sense of Jewish identity.  The Chanukah lights provide us with warmth, joy, strength and inspiration. Such is the purpose of a community-wide celebration to be held at the Needham Town Common. 

In its Chanukah outreach campaign, the Chabad Jewish Center joins thousands of Chabad Lubavitch centers across the globe, which are staging similar public displays of the Menorah and its symbolic lights. From Australia to Africa, Columbia to Hong Kong, New York City to the White House lawn, hundreds of thousands will experience the joy of Chanukah with Chabad Lubavitch.

For more information on the event or other programs of the Chabad Jewish Center contact the center at 781-455-9096 – www.chabadjewishcenter.us. For more about the holiday visit www.chanukah.org