By Charley Falkenburg, Special to the Packet
Pennington sisters Lily and Julia Rutman, both 12, stood inside the jam-packed Princeton Airport hangar. Surrounding them was an endless sea of people and countless tables lined with a myriad of different menorahs. It was the fourth night of Chanukah and they were about to help make world history.
”This is so amazing that at such a young age we are able to be part of something so huge,” said Julia, her cheeks pink with excitement. “I never thought I would be doing this.”
Lily agreed, adding that the night was “totally extraordinary.”
The girls were just two of the 835 folks who simultaneously took their shammash, or lead candle, and lit the fifth candle on their menorahs.
At once, 4,175 candles blazed inside the hanger signifying they had just conquered the Guinness World Record for most menorahs lighted at one time in one place.
The Jewish Center of Princeton, which organized “Chanukah for the Record,” took the title from Merrick Jewish Centre in New York, which had 782 menorahs in its event last December.
To ensure the record’s legitimacy, the Jewish Center enlisted 90 table captains, 12 floor monitors and 12 judges from all sectors of the community, such business, entertainment and other nonaffiliated Jewish organizations. The judges were tasked with overseeing that all the fifth candles on the menorah were lit at once. After the event, the judges signed testimonials and the paperwork was sent to the Guinness World Records for confirmation.
Two of the judges happened to be Princeton Mayor Elect Liz Lempert and Montgomery Mayor Ed Trzaska.
At 6-foot-8, Mayor Trzaska didn’t have too hard of a time keeping tabs on his assigned three tables.
”It really helped to be 6-8 so I could see everything and verify, as a witness, the accuracy of the world record,” he said. “This was a tremendous community event and a memorable experience.”
Mayor Trzaska added that the Montgomery Township Committee would be recognizing this feat at the upcoming Dec. 20 committee meeting.
Although excited to set a world record, the Jewish Center was more about uniting people from all walks of life, Jewish or not.
”This is about the community coming together, participating in a public miracle and sharing that miracle with others,” said Annie Tucker, a rabbi at the Jewish Center.
It appeared the Jewish Center was doubly successful because that night, the airport hangar morphed into a melting pot of people of all ages, ethnicities and religions who all came together to learn about new customs, get to know others and have fun with their friends and families.
”This is so cool; it really brings the community together in a fun and festive way,” said Princtonian Linda Grenis.
Ms. Grenis works for Greenwood House in Princeton and was able to help secure a bus, which brought about 18 Princeton University students to take part in the event.
Scott, Elaine and Barry Sussman, a family from Lawrenceville, are members of Adath Israel in their town, but couldn’t resist being part of the Jewish Center’s “Chanukah for the Record.”
”This is a record making evening there are so many menorahs,” said Ms. Sussman, looking around her with a smile.
Adam Feldman, another rabbi at the Jewish Center, deemed the event a “miraculous program” that was made possible thanks to the Princeton Airport. In the five months of planning, Neil Wise, the program director at the Jewish Center, hit many roadblocks in securing a location that could hold more than 800 and thousands of burning candles. However, the airport was the one place that stepped up to the challenge.
”I think it’s safe to say there have never been this many people lighting menorahs in an airport,” said Rabbi Feldman, causing the crowd to laugh.
For 13-year-old Isabella Stier of Cranbury it was safe to say she wasn’t missing out on that night, beating a record or not.
”This is so awesome, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I just had to take it up,” she said with a grin.

