Hannukah in the Park 2018 was located in the Soundshell at
the Wellington Botanic Gardens. The event drew over 1,000 participants in
total, with members of the Jewish community along with our friends in the
Christian and Maori Communities. Event-goers came from as far away as
Christchurch and Hawke's Bay to celebrate with the Festival of Lights with the
Embassy of Israel.
Activities at the event included face painting by Daizy
Design Face Painting, Bubbles, Holocaust Centre of New Zealand Raffle, Israeli
Dancing performance with the crowd, Story Time with Mona Williams, kids games
and, of course, a Menorah lighting ceremony for the Eighth Night of Hannukah
with our fabulous MC Deb Hart, Rabbi Ariel Tal of the Wellington Jewish
Community Centre, Mayor of Wellington Justin Lester and many more good friends.
The David Sutton Band played for almost an hour, entertaining event-goers with plenty
of classics, including a rendition of Hava Nagila.
Food was also on offer, with a Falafel Truck by Ben Sagi and FizzBang Candy
Floss plus coffee and drinks via Coffee+. The Shalom Students Association from Victoria
University of Wellington provided free water and sunscreen. Bagels and
traditional donuts (Sufganyiot) were provided by the two Wellington Jewish
congregations, Temple Sinai and the WJCC.
A special thanks goes out to His Worship Mayor Justin Lester, all of the Embassy
staff who contributed to this great event, the WJCC & Temple Sinai
volunteers, members of the community who donated their time and energy, MC
Deborah Hart, Jim Baltaxe for bringing his magnificent menorah, all of our
vendors who attended the event, the Shalom Students’ Association for providing
water and sunscreen, the David Sutton Band, Ms Mona Williams, Pastor Nigel Woodley, the WCC for
all of their excellent help, Michelle Jacobson Photography, Tyler Henderson of
Bubbles in the Bay for gifting us bubble juice and a wand and Ms. Hayley of
Daizy Design Face Painting for doing such a fantastic job with the young ones!