FREEHOLD – On Nov. 26 from 5-7 p.m. the Freehold Center Partnership will mark the beginning of the 2007 holiday season with its annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the Monmouth County Hall of Records plaza at the corner of Court and East Main streets.
According to Jayne Carr, executive director of the Freehold Center Partnership, the event has seen attendance of upward of 500 people in past years.
Scheduled to perform at the event is the Freehold Township High School Brass Band and the Saint Rose Bell Choir.
According to a press release, dignitaries and elected officials from Freehold and Monmouth County are slated to participate at the program. Freehold Borough’s mayor and Borough Council are expected to be in attendance. Monmouth County freeholders will also participate in the tree lighting, pulling the switch and illuminating the tree. Monmouth County supplies the tree at the Hall of Records plaza.
In addition to the decorated tree the Freehold Center Partnership will unveil its new and updated lighting decorations that will bedeck the downtown. There are new banner poles on the gateways to downtown that will also greet visitors with holiday decorations. There will also be new snowflake and wreath decorations on display.
Special guests of honor Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be attending the ceremony. The two will spread cheer and joy riding a fire truck through Freehold offering good tidings to all. Santa and Mrs. Claus will then return to the Hall of Records to sit and chat with children.
The Freehold Center Partnership will host its annual Hanukkah menorah lighting celebration at 5 p.m. Dec. 6 at the Monmouth County Hall of Records plaza. The lighting of the menorah commemorates the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
Hanukkah, also known as the festival of lights, is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the rededication of the temple of Jerusalem by Judas Maccabee in 165 BC after the temple had been profaned by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, king of Syria. The holiday is associated with the miracle of the oil. It is believed that the Jews had just enough oil to last one day, but the oil lasted and burned for eight days. Thus began the tradition of lighting the menorah candles for eight days as this mirrors the miracle of the holiday.
The menorah lighting will be presided over by Rabbi Kenneth Greene of the Freehold Jewish Center. David Amar, the cantor from the temple, will be on hand to lead attendees in holiday songs. Also performing will be students from the Freehold Jewish Center’s Hebrew school.
The Chabad House in Marlboro will supply the giant menorah which is on display at the Hall of Records plaza through the holiday season.
In addition to the Christmas tree lighting on Nov. 26 and the lighting of the Hanukkah menorah on Dec. 6, other events include the Freehold Comcast Holiday Concert on Dec. 7; Santa’s Train Ride on Dec. 8; Breakfast with Santa at Sweet Lew’s on Dec. 18; and culminating with a new twist on an old event, the horse drawn Lantern Ride on Dec. 21.
For more information visit the Internet Web site www.freeholdcenter.com.