CALIFORNIA - VIDEO: After California's Chabad organization succeeded in gaining the support of Hollywood big shots in its latest telethon, the group's next production was its Hanukkah celebration: a huge bash for the festival of lights that took place in Sacramento on Thursday. The event was attended by none other than California Governor Arnold Schwarznegger himself.
The hour-long festivities were broadcast live to around 100 million people across the United States.
The man responsible for all the merrymaking was Rabbi Chaim Konin, the son of the Chabad representative for west coast of the United States.
Prior to the celebration, Rabbi Konin told Ynet of the weighty responsibility he carried on his shoulders for the event to be a success, as it was granted broad media coverage and tens of millions were expected to tune it to watch.
The rabbi revealed the program for the big night: "The military's top brass and many diplomats will come to light the Hanukkah candles along with the governor, but the evening's big surprise will be when Chabad members standing alongside US soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan will light the Hanukkah candles on live television in front of the whole nation.
"We're going to make history and pirsuma nisa (publicize the miracle). Our goal as Chabad representatives throughout the world is to increase and add light to every corner of the universe, that is our job and we do it together with you," Konin said.
Actor Jon Voight, a frequent attendee of Chabad events in the area, had RSVPed and said he would be showing up.
Chabad representatives from the areas that were badly hit by recent wildfires in California present at the gathering where they were recognized for their service to their respective communities.