Ceremonies start off Holidays

At the Creche blessing last week, about two dozen children from Saint-Joseph-de-Mont-Royal's catechism class joined Mayor Vera Danyluk, three councillors, two local ministers, Beth-El's Rabbi Ronnie Kahana and several residents. "Christmas is a beautiful season that allows us to recall that it's important to love the members of our family, love our friends and love everyone," stated Mayor Danyluk in her welcome.

Fr. Richard Depairon and Fr. Brian Boucher took turns in telling the story of a child born of a simple woman in an obscure village who has affected the lives of more people two millennia later than all the kings and rulers who have ever reigned.

After the singing of Joy to the World and Silent Night, the latter in both English and French, Mathieu from Saint-Joseph lay the baby Jesus in his crib and lay a blanket over him. Afterwards, Fr. Boucher said he will try to get children from the Annunciation parish to join the ceremony next year.

At the lighting of the Hanukkah Menorah three days after, the mayor welcomed three local rabbis, two ministers and about 30 residents, mostly Jewish. Songs were led by current Beth-El cantor Benyi Moshaev and retired cantor Hyman Gisser with the message of religious freedom and the disappearance of tyrants.

Rabbi Kahana recalled that Hanukkah is a holiday of light and making sure that it's "pure and everlasting." However, it's also about being each other's servant to bring out the "inner light" in one another to change the world that's "torn apart by anger, by cruelty - within and without."

Taking the suggestion from Chabad congregation's Rabbi Moshe Krasnanski, it was the first year that the Town is using oil to light the menorah, rather than electricity, to really reflect what occurred over 2,000 years ago. The mayor reminded the crowd that local blue-collar workers built the menorah and give it and fresh coat of gold paint each year.