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Local Jewish community celebrates end of Hanukkah

Event at Rehoboth Bandstand wraps up eight nights of lighting candles
Rabbi Sholom Vogel, left, leads the prayer as Jason Gould, right, lights the menorah at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand. CHRIS FLOOD PHOTOS
Chris Flood
December 24, 2025

Story Location:
Rehoboth Beach Bandstand
Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
United States

Members of the local Jewish community gathered at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand Dec. 21, to celebrate the end of Hanukkah with a ceremonial lighting of a giant menorah.

Chabad of Southern Delaware hosted the annual event, which featured latkes, donuts, hot chocolate and the reciting of traditional prayers in advance of lighting the eighth and final candle on the menorah.

Chabad of Southern Delaware kicked off the Festival of Lights with a lighting of the menorah’s first candle in Dewey Beach the weekend before.

For more information on Chabad of Southern Delaware, go to jewishsoutherndelaware.com or email rabbi@JewishSouthernDelaware.com.

 

Before the menorah is lit, Rabbi Sholom Vogel says it’s not always easy for Jewish people to gather in public celebration, but it’s important to do.
A large clear dreidel filled with hundreds of tiny colorful dreidels.
The 8-foot-tall menorah stands with all lights lit except the last one.
Donuts are part of the celebration.
Abigail and Esther get help making hot chocolate after the menorah was lit.
Rehoboth Beach Mayor Stan Mills thanks everyone for coming out before the menorah is lit.
Sen. Russ Huxtable, D-Lewes, was in Dewey Beach to kick off the holiday and attended the event in Rehoboth Beach to celebrate its ending.
Chris Braudy is all bundled up while getting some latkes.
A lot of people wore winter hats, but Rehoboth’s Jeff Warner is the only one wearing a hat with a menorah on it.
Sen. Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, says he may be Christian, but similar to his Jewish friends, he believes in religious miracles too.
A few dozen people brave the cold to participate in the holiday event.

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Chris Flood has been working for the Cape Gazette since early 2014. He currently covers Rehoboth Beach and Henlopen Acres, but has also covered Dewey Beach and the state government. He covers environmental stories, business stories and random stories on subjects he finds interesting, and he also writes a column called Choppin’ Wood that runs every other week. He’s a graduate of the University of Maine and the Landing School of Boat Building & Design.

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