Acts of kindness dominate 10th annual Hanukkah Music Festival

This past Sunday evening, hundreds of locals from around Jamaica and visitors from over 20 countries gathered on the iconic Seven Mile Beach in Negril for an unforgettable night of light, music, and unity for the Hanukkah Music Festival, celebrating a decade of service and promoting acts of kindness.

The event represented Jamaica’s motto ‘Out of Many, One People’ as people from all different backgrounds, nationalities and religions came together to celebrate the universal message of freedom, love and light that Chanukah represents, while raising funds for critical humanitarian aid projects to provide water to Jamaican communities in need.

People from all over Jamaica, including Kingston, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Negril, joined the celebration.

Negril-native Davianna Abesera shared her enthusiasm for the concert.

“We’re so proud to have an event like this in Negril, it means so much to all of us,” she said.

Stirring speech

The event featured Rabbi Yaakov Raskin, co-director of Chabad of Jamaica and the island’s only rabbi, who addressed the audience with a stirring speech that highlighted the miracle and story of Hanukkah.

He shared the story of their Menorah, the nine-branched candelabra kindled on Hanukkah, which was damaged during Hurricane Beryl, but was repaired just in time for the holiday.

Drawing on the teachings of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of Righteous Memory, Rabbi Raskin emphasised the power of good deeds.

“The message of Hanukkah is that we each have the power and responsibility to illuminate the world through acts of goodness and kindness,” he said.

The evening featured the lighting of a 15-foot Menorah by Rabbi Raskin and Negril native and community pillar Nestor Abesera, who kindled the flames in memory of his brother Ariel, a beloved attendee of past Hanukkah celebrations.

The atmosphere soared as the Maccabeats, a world famous acapella group, energised the crowd with their lively, larger-than-life Chanukah songs. Their electrifying performance had attendees on their feet, clapping and dancing, creating memories to quite literally last a lifetime.

Many people raved about the event’s fully kosher culinary experience, which featured an array of delicious Jamaican dishes all prepared in accordance with Jewish dietary laws: sugar cane juice, breadfruit, fish and ackee, jerk chicken and rice, and traditional Hanukkah foods like potato latkes and donuts.

One attendee, Jordy from Calgary, Canada, shared her gratitude.

“Thank you for an awesome evening. My friends and I enjoyed ourselves immensely,” she said.

Bob Marley’s

‘One Love’

The evening reached a crescendo with the Maccabeats’ signature song, ‘Candlelight’, and their one of a kind mashup of Mattisyahu’s ‘One Day’ and Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’, blending authentic Jamaican vibes with Jewish cultural flavour.

In the words of music event producer Moshe Noy, who travelled from Chicago to attend the concert, “This was an incredible, amazing event. I will definitely be back next year.”

Every attendee received an ARK, a small yellow charity box shaped like Noah’s ark, which is the symbol of Chabad’s ARK initiative, an acronym for Acts of Routine Kindness. This initiative encourages people to fill their Ark boxes with coins and share them with someone in need, spreading kindness and compassion.

From the moving menorah lighting to the high energy music, delicious food, and inspiring messages, Chabad Jamaica’s decennial anniversary and Chanukah celebration was a transformative experience. It united people of all backgrounds in a shared mission of spreading light, love, and hope – a true testament to the power of Chanukah’s message and the enduring vision of the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of Righteous Memory, the late leader of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement.

“People will carry the message of the ‘One Love, One Light’ concert with them, inspiring many acts of kindness and positivity around the world for years to come,” said Rabbi Raskin.

Here are highlights from the event.