Get the chance to explore the Chanukah Menorah Lighting in Sedona! Taking place at our favorite shopping mall during the eight days and nights of this important holiday, guests can enjoy the solemnity and beauty of each lighting and get a little shopping done, something that is especially appreciated by those who celebrate both Christmas and Chanukah. This guide to the lighting, the beauty of the holiday, and the comfort of our Sedona.Org holiday hideaways will give you a sneak peek at an Arizona vacation that will be emotionally satisfying and wonderfully comfortable at the same time.
Everyone Is Welcome
Just as everyone is free to celebrate Christmas, regardless of their religion or beliefs, everyone is invited to explore the beauty of the Chanukah Menorah Lighting and the ceremony that follows. For those who don’t know, Chanukah (or Hanukkah) celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem that had desecrated by the Syrians in 165 BC. Lasting eight days and eight nights, each night’s celebration begins with the lighting of a candle on the menorah, followed by dreidel games, music that everyone sings along to, and as with most holidays, the devouring of delicious traditional foods. The actual dates of the holiday change every year, due to the fact that the Jewish calendar is based on the moon and the sun.
Located at Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village, 336 AZ-179
Tlaquepaque may look as if it has been there since the rededication of the Second Temple of Jerusalem, with its stucco walls surrounding the village and its mature trees and landscaping appearing to have been there for many a lifetime, but it has actually only been there since the 1970s. It was created by a businessman from Nevada who had a vision, a vision that resulted in the constructions of Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village. Today the village is an artist’s colony, a shopping center, a place to eat, drink, and be entertained, and a place to celebrate the big and little moments that make life wonderful, including the holiday of Chanukah.
The Celebration Begins
The Miracle of the Menorah begins with its lighting and for the next hour, continues with everything the holiday is known for. Devour traditional treats that may include latkes, donuts, even steaming hot cups of hot cocoa will be on hand to sweeten up the night. Along with the treats, there will be music, music that invites everyone to sing along, even if you don’t know the words. And because your kids deserve a chance to do a little hero worshipping, Judah the Maccabee will be there as well, posing for pictures with the littles while passing out a little bit of gelt. Gelt is a Yiddish word that means gold, but at Chanukah Menorah Lighting, it is gold foil wrapped chocolates designed to look like gold coins, sweetening all the moments of your celebration. Hosted by Chabad of Sedona and, of course, Tlaquepaque, this ceremony may not last long, but the memories made here will last forever.
Did You See the Luminarias?
Tlaquepaque offers an artsy beauty to the area, and at the holidays when it is decked out in its finest holiday apparel, otherwise known as lights and decorations, it truly shines. Don’t forget to look up while you are strolling around exploring the art galleries and shops, as the flat roof of this stucco community is decorated with luminarias, another traditional way of lighting up the night. Originally started as way to light the long nights of the winter solstice, when used the way they are used at Tlaquepaque, they are meant to symbolize hope, something we seem to need a lot more of these days.
Come Home to Sedona.Org
The importance of the lighting of the menorah aside, your favorite moments during your Sedona holiday vacation may be the ones you enjoy in our red rock retreats. Watch your favorite holiday shows on state of the art televisions, sit out on the back patios, staring up at the stars and beginning to believe in all the possibilities, and sleep well every night of your stay in bedrooms built with peace and serenity. Your Chanukah celebrations at Tlaquepaque may add depth to your Arizona vacation and because we want you to feel at home with Sedona.Org, we encourage you to engage in your favorite holiday traditions in our Sedona sanctuaries. Reserve your favorite Sedona.Org escape today and discover all the ways your soul needs the peace and beauty of Sedona, even when you never really gave it any thought before!
