To kick off the celebration of the Chanukah season Sunday night, Nov. 28, the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore and the Gordon Center for Performing Arts hosted a fire show titled Illumination Celebration: Chanukah Ignited.
The free visual show included acts such as fire jugglers, fire breathers, fire eaters, fire poi, fire hoops and five swords. The show was led by world-renowned fire dancer Brittany Chandler. More than 1,300 people attended the extravaganza.
Also performing at the gathering was HaZamir Baltimore, a chapter of HaZamir: The International Jewish Teen Choir.
Sloane Poverni, 4, dances while awaiting the start of “Illumination Celebration: Chanukah Ignited” at the Owings Mills JCC. (Photo by Steve Ruark) 
Elaine Irwin and her daughter, Eloise, 2, await the start of “Illumination Celebration: Chanukah Ignited” at the Owings Mills JCC. (Photo by Steve Ruark) 
Members of HaZamir Baltimore teen choir perform during “Illumination Celebration: Chanukah Ignited” at the Owings Mills JCC. (Photo by Steve Ruark) 
Robin Katcoff, bottom right, and family friend Aviva Kahn, 6, join a crowd at the start of “Illumination Celebration: Chanukah Ignited” at the Owings Mills JCC. (Photo by Steve Ruark) 
Members of The Dancing Fire perform during “Illumination Celebration: Chanukah Ignited” at the Owings Mills JCC. (Photo by Steve Ruark) 
A member of The Dancing Fire performs during “Illumination Celebration: Chanukah Ignited” at the Owings Mills JCC. (Photo by Steve Ruark) 
A member of The Dancing Fire performs during “Illumination Celebration: Chanukah Ignited” at the Owings Mills JCC. (Photo by Steve Ruark) 
A member of The Dancing Fire performs during “Illumination Celebration: Chanukah Ignited” at the Owings Mills JCC. (Photo by Steve Ruark) 
A member of The Dancing Fire performs during “Illumination Celebration: Chanukah Ignited” at the Owings Mills JCC. (Photo by Steve Ruark) 
Members of The Dancing Fire perform during “Illumination Celebration: Chanukah Ignited” at the Owings Mills JCC. (Photo by Steve Ruark) 
Members of The Dancing Fire perform during “Illumination Celebration: Chanukah Ignited” at the Owings Mills JCC. (Photo by Steve Ruark)
“Illumination Celebration” was presented in partnership with and funded in large part by Shine A Light, a national initiative to illuminate the dangers of anti-Semitism through education, community partnerships, workplace engagement and community advocacy.
Among those who spoke about anti-Semitism at the event were JCC Chief Executive Officer Barak Hermann, Maury Garten, past chair of the JCC board of directors, and Joseph DeMattos Jr., a lay leader of the JCC and The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore.
For information, visit shinealighton.com.
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