[by Niki King, Public Relations Specialist]

The Jewish Community Relations Council’s annual Interfaith Chanukah Celebration just keeps getting bigger and better.

About 175 people attended the event, held December 3 in the JCC’s Linker Auditorium, where they were treated to a candle-lighting ceremony, music and hallmark Chanukah foods – latkes and sufganiyot (jelly filled donuts).

“Every year we’ve done this, we’ve expanded,” said Matt Goldberg, director of the JCRC and organizer of the event, who likes to joke that it’ll need to move to the YUM Center next year. “We plan on it being bigger and bigger until everyone in Louisville knows about it,” he said.

Goldberg said the Chanukah Celebration, now in its fifth year, has by now established a name and a reputation in the community.

“It’s our opportunity to share our holiday with other faith groups, or even those without a faith, we don’t discriminate,” he said.

This year, Adath Jeshurun Cantor David Lipp regaled the audience with Chanukah songs such as “Ocho Kandelikas” in Ladino (Judeo Spanish).

Brigid Kaelin, one of Louisville’s own favorite singer/songwriters, followed with her playful, country-infused Chanukah tunes “Dreidel’s Day Out (Blue Dreidel No. 9)” and “Mazel Tonk!,” which features her signature yodeling. Kaelin also wowed with a rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” played with a bow and saw.

The event was co-sponsored by Interfaith Paths to Peace and chaired by Leon Wahba, Jeff Slyn and Myrle Davis.

{gallery}Community/2013/122013/chanukah interfaith party 122013{/gallery}