ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Jewish communities across the state have been preparing for the first night of Hanukkah and all of the celebrations in store.

Rabbi Shaya Susskind, with the Chabad House of Asheville, has been preparing for Hanukkah celebrations for weeks, along with providing different communities and public spaces with menorahs.

“For about eight weeks leading up to Hanukkah begins the plans and the preparations begin for how to make this another Hanukkah that stands out,” Susskind said.

He immediately starts thinking about Hanukkah preparations after the Jewish high holidays come to a close.

This means bringing out the traditional dreidels, latkes and menorahs.

“I was at least 3 years old when I spun my first dreidel,” Susskind said. “I love spinning those!”

Even if Susskind hasn’t spun the dreidel since last year, it always comes right back to him.

As the executive director of the Chabad House of Asheville, Susskind helps bring Jewish traditions and practices to the mountains of western North Carolina. 

As Hanukkah approached this year, he wanted to spread Hanukkah lights with the overall community. 

Susskind reached out to different communities, businesses and public areas across the region, offering them opportunities to display a menorah. Some menorahs are 6-feet tall. Because of these efforts, there will be more menorahs lit in the mountains. 

“This is not just a Jewish celebration to be able to spread the menorahs throughout the mountains,” Susskind said. “This is something that could create an environment of love and support and encouragement to be proud of. A lot of love, a lot of hope, a lot of warmth and a lot of encouragement.” 

Some of the places that will feature these menorahs include Biltmore Park, the Chabad House and the courthouse in Hendersonville.

“I think the message of Hanukkah resonates with people,” Susskind said. “It's a universal message. The message that even a small light, a little bit of light, has the ability to dispel lots of darkness, and the idea that every night of Hanukkah, we light another candle, and we increase with every passing night up until the eight nights of Hanukkah. Increasing in light, increasing in warmth.”

Susskind said he was touched by the impact and responses by last year’s community menorahs.

“Last year, when we put this out to some places, there are people who came up to me afterwards saying, ‘Wow, for 50 years I was looking out my window and I never saw a menorah out there,’” Susskind reflected.

In addition to the menorahs in the mountains, a free, community-wide celebration will be held on the first night of Hanukkah at the Jewish Community Center in Asheville.