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local Thursday 7 december 2023

This Chanukah, Aruba to

Shine Brighter Than Ever

December 7-14 celebrate the

"Festival of Lights"

Chanukah is beginning this week and with it comes the
annual Island-wide joyful Menrorah lighting celebra-
tions. At this time, more than ever, there is a need to stand
proud and bring the special Chanukah light to the world.

Chabad of Aruba is organizing public Chanukah meno-
rah lightings almost every night of Chanukah. The light-
ings are open for all and will bring the joy of this holiday
to everyone with music, dreidels, latkes and donuts for all!

• Night 1: December 7th at 5:30pm candle lighting cer-
emony at the Ritz-Carlton Aruba beach front
• Night 4: December 10h at 5.30pm Car Menorah pa-
rade leaving from the California Lighthouse www.
JewishAruba.com/parade
• Night 5: December 11th at 5.30pm candle lighting
ceremony at The Playa Linda Beach Resort Pool Deck
• Night 6: December 12th at 5:30pm candle light-
ing ceremony at Eagle Beach opposite La Cabana
Beach Resort
• Night 7: December 13th candle lighting ceremony at
5:30pm at the Marriott Ocean Club (in front of Mal- lasted miraculously for eight. In commem-
mok Restaurant) About Chanukah (Hanukkah) oration, Jews celebrate Chanukah for
• Night 8: December 14th at 7pm; Chanukah Concert Chanukah, the Festival of Lights, begins eight days by lighting an eight-branched
with the Rogers Park Band at the Hyatt Regency Aru- this year on the evening of Thursday, De- candelabrum known as a menorah, add-
ba Parking Lot cember 7 and concludes the evening of ing another candle each night. Today, the
Friday, December 15. It recalls the victory holiday carries a universal message of the
For more information about Chanukah visit www.Jewis- of a militarily weak but spiritually strong triumph of freedom over oppression, of
hAruba.com/Chanukah Jewish people, who defeated the Syrian- spirit over matter, of light over darkness.
Greeks who had overrun ancient Israel Additional information about the Chanu-
Thank you to our sponsors: and sought to impose restrictions on the kah holiday is available at JewishAruba.
A special shout out to these sponsors who are making all Jewish way of life and practice. They des- com/Hanukkah.
the Chanukah events possible and free for the public: ecrated and defiled the Holy Temple and
Caribbean Mercantile Bank (CMB), Do-It Center, Hyatt the oil prepared for the lighting of the me- Chabad Aruba offers Jewish education,
Regency Aruba Resort and Casino, AHATA, Diamonds norah–part of the daily service. Upon de- outreach and social service programming
International Aruba, 4D Photo Bar, Cigar Emporium, Su- feating their enemies and recapturing the for families and individuals of all ages,
perfood Plaza and MayDragonFly Marketing, Daher Resi- Temple only one jar of undefiled oil was backgrounds and affiliations. For more in-
dences. found, enough to burn for one day, but it formation visit www.JewishAruba.com.q

Ayo & Casibari: Aruba’s famous rock formations

(Oranjestad)—The Ayo and the surrounding “mondi”*. parts of the island. However, the general public. Just like ocean in the south. Right in
Casibari Rock Formations This is also one of the few this is just another charm of Ayo, Casibari is a fenced front of the entrance, there
are known locally as one of sites to contain prehistoric the site: the quiet area and area containing several is the Casibari Café and
the crucial sites to have in markings of our indigenous the refreshing breeze offer a boulders that lay on top Grill, a great place to get
your “off-road” trip itinerary. ancestors. The Ayo Rock sense of comfort and peace. or lean on each other. The refreshments and snack
These naturally formed rock formation contains stairs best aspect of the Casibari before continuing your off-
formations as just one of the that lead you to the top of Casibari Rock Formation is the road adventure!
few places on the island that the highest boulder, offering Probably the busier rock accompanying view when
hold a rich history of our a breath-taking view of the formation site, the Casibari you climb up the top of the Both sites are open free
culture and of our ancestors. Aruban backyard. The Ayo is is situated more in the center round, flat bolder. For this to the public, 24 hours a
usually quiet, as it is situated of the island, much closer— position, you can see the day. However, unless you
Ayo farther away from the busier and more accessible—to majority of the island and the are taking a trip with a
The Ayo Rock Formation professional tour guide, there
is located in the northern are no guides at the sites to
part of the island, right on help you climb the rock. So,
the road that leads you to do be careful when trudging
the Black Stone Beach, and on the boulders, and make
close to the Natural Bridge. sure to befriend any roaming
The Ayo is a fenced terrain goats you see along the way!
that consists of several giant
boulders, resting neatly on *Mondi: what we call our
top of or side by side each Aruban wilderness. We don’t
other, adding gorgeous have forests, or deserts, but
natural architecture to The Ayo Rock Formation we do have mondi!q