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Arnold Schwarzenegger dances with Rabbi Cunin

SACRAMENTO, CA, DECEMBER 20- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger performed a

symbolic menorah lighting at the State Capitol today as part of the 12th annual Chabad

Chanukah celebration. The Governor joined with Rabbi Boruch S. Cunin, Director of West Coast

Chabad-Lubavitch, and other Chabad representatives to share messages of holiday cheer with

the people of California.
After greeting the crowd with “Shalom,” Governor Schwarzenegger called the people of Chabad

“heroes” who have had “an unbelievable impact on thousands and thousands of people.”

Standing before the Capitol building in Sacramento, he thanked the charitable group for its

“great contribution to the state.”

Before the menorah lighting, the Governor recalled how the Maccabees of ancient Israel

defied their oppressors to reclaim the Temple and experienced “the miracle of the oil” that

lit a menorah for eight days even though it was only a single day’s supply. “The menorah is

a powerful symbol of faith,” Governor Schwarzenegger said, “It has been sustained by

tradition and empowered by the courage of the Jewish people.”

During the event, Rabbi Cunin presented a large, ornate dreidel as a gift to the Governor

and people of California. The dreidel’s base was inscribed with a quote from the Lubavitcher

Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, that read: “The spirit of Chanukah is experienced when

we apply its joy, warmth, and light to our lives not only with our loved ones, but with the

entire world.”

In his remarks, Rabbi Cunin said, “All the power everyone speaks of as the power of Chabad

is really the power of light, including the light of our Rebbe.” The Rabbi spoke of the

miracle of Chanukah and its enduring message of light overcoming darkness, adding that, “The

way we combat darkness is by lighting a candle.”

Rabbi Cunin also noted that the Hebrew letter for light has a numerical value of 207 – which

is the exact number of years since the founder of Chabad, Rabbi Schneur Zalman, was released

from his imprisonment in Czarist Russia. The Rabbi’s liberation on the 19th day of the

Hebrew month of Kislev is a key date for Chabad Chassidism, since after his release he

spread his teachings on a broader scale than ever before.

Rabbi Mendy Cohen, Director of Chabad of Sacramento, told the audience that courage is

rewarded with miracles. He listed examples ranging from the Maccabees and the menorah, to

Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s release from prison, to the incredible growth of Chabad in California

under the guidance of the Rebbe. He also praised Governor Schwarzenegger’s courage, and

quipped that he is “the most powerful Governor in the union, both physically and

spiritually.”

Serving as emcee for the event was Michael Helfant, the President and COO of Marvel Studios,

who has been a friend of Chabad for two decades. “Most days, I work with superheroes like

Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four,” he said, “But today, I am here to celebrate

with some very different superheroes… The people of Chabad are heroes who accomplish

miraculous feats each day. As we celebrate the miracles of Chanukah, they are spreading a

powerful message of hope and light.”

David Akov, Israel’s Consul General in S. Francisco, also spoke to the crowd in Sacramento.

He brought greetings from the Holy Land for “the holiday of lights and freedom,” calling

Chanukah “a universal celebration all over the world.” Before the symbolic menorah lighting,

Rabbi Cunin offered prayers and remembrances for the victims of the natural disasters of

2005.

Fifteen Chabad schools from across California were represented onstage. Each school

undertook a special Menorah Project, holding contests in which their students hand-decorated

menorahs to convey the holiday’s universal message and beauty. One student from each school

came with his or her own creation to display for the Governor. The unique menorahs included

a colorful Lego candelabrum, a log covered with leaves, and a line of candleholders made

from Schwarzenegger action figures atop the message, “The Jewish people said: ‘I’ll be

back.’”

The Sid Engel Orchestra provided festive holiday music for the event, and there was also a

performance by the Chabad Tiny Tots Choir. The children in the choir each had a headdress

topped with a symbolic flame, and they also wore silver letters that together spelled out

the word “Chanukah.”

At the end of the celebration, donated gifts were distributed to audience members so that

they in turn could present them to someone less fortunate during Chanukah. After helping

distribute those gifts, Governor Schwarzenegger joined a number of Chabad rabbis onstage for

a high-spirited dance.

Editor’s Note: The schools represented at the ceremony were the Chabad Hebrew School of

Glendale, the Chabad Hebrew Academy of Long Beach, the Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School

of Los Angeles, the Bais Rebbe Junior High for Girls of Los Angeles, the Chabad Youth Group

of Noe Valley, the Chabad Hebrew School of Palo Alto, the Chabad Hebrew School of

Sacramento, the Chabad Hebrew School of S. Clarita Valley, the Chabad Hebrew School of S.

Cruz, the Chabad Hebrew Academy of S. Diego, the Chabad Hebrew School of S. Jose, the Chabad

Hebrew School of Sunnyvale, the Reisman Family Chabad Hebrew School of Tarzana, the Chabad

Youth Zone of Tri Valley, and the Chabad Hebrew School of Walnut Creek.

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Chabad Lubavitch is part of the largest Jewish organization. Chabad Lubavitch came to California four decades ago, now runs largest network of educational and nonsectarian social services under Jewish auspices on the West Coast.

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