OLD BRIDGE — Hanukkah menorahs are made out of all kinds of materials, but few if any are ever made of ice, stand 7 feet in the air and weigh 500 pounds.
That’s the kind of menorah the community will find at the Old Bridge Ice Arena on Dec. 1, when the Chabad Chai Center, Route 18 in East Brunswick, presents its first-ever Chanukah On Ice program from 3 to 5:30 p.m.
The event, which is open to the public, will also feature ice skating, Jewish music, figure skating and Hanukkah food.
"It’s the first time we’re doing this," said Rabbi Yossi Hirsch of Chabad, "but with the feedback we’ve been getting from North Brunswick all the way down to Marlboro, we’re expecting a very good turnout."
Though there will be activities for skaters and non-skaters alike, coordinators said the centerpiece of the event will be the menorah, which will be hewn from a 600-pound block of ice by a carver brought in from Pennsylvania.
"I’m not sure if it’ll be the biggest menorah I’ve ever seen," said Esti Frankel, who handles programming at the Chabad Chai Center, "but this would definitely be the largest ice menorah."
Skaters will have a chance to glide around the ice to the beat of Hanukkah music, and other attendees will be able to watch figure skating, have their faces painted, and take part in a Hanukkah party, organizers said in a press release.
Admission to the event is free, though there is a charge for skate rental and admission onto the rink. For more information, contact the Chabad Chai Center at (732) 238-7900.
The arena is located at Route 516 and Cottrell Road in Old Bridge.

