 Welcome everyone and a happy Hanukkah to everyone here. Can't hear you. It's a beautiful evening to stand outside together. Great weather. Yeah, well. I'd like to welcome the Governor Phil Scott, Lieutenant Governor Mali Gray, Health Commissioner Dr. Mark Levine, and the Mayor of Montpelier Anne Watson. It's a it's an honor to have you all join us here tonight. Thank you. Today we are not here to quench. Strange, I know, but to celebrate, to stand proud of who we are and to thank the Almighty God for his protection. We are here to celebrate Hanukkah, the miracle of the lights. A small jug of oil that was supposed to last for just one day, but defying all the naysayers, the pundits, the forecast, ended up lasting for eight days instead by miracle. The Lubavitcher-Eber-Rabishnersen, a foremost leader of the world's jewelry of our times, launched a global campaign encouraging public mineral lightings like ours here tonight. It isn't it isn't enough, he explained, to just light a candle at home, to warm ourselves and our family. Rather, we must take the light and the warmth outside of the dark night in the freezing temperatures and share them with others so that all may benefit from the menorah and its timeless message of freedom and religious tolerance. The Hasidic masters teach that we ought to listen and pay heed to what the candles are telling us, to the story that they share with us. These candles are old that are shining for over 2,000 years and yet they're warm and they're comforting. They tell us a story of hard times when absolute defeat was the only realistic possibility on the horizon, when the awesome temple in Jerusalem was all but overrun. But they also tell us that God wanted otherwise, when a small group of tired people mustered the willpower and strength to retake the temple, restore it to its former glory, committing their story to all of us through this annual celebration of ours. Friends, that jug of oil is still burning, not only on the menorah that we see here, but it is in our hearts. We have that pure jug of oil, it is our soul. That's why we are still here today, after so many persecutions, after so many civilizations came and went. But as we say, Am Yisrochai, the Jewish nation is alive. We are here and alive. It is the jug of oil, which is our faith in God, our commitment to His commandments that continue to give life to our supernatural existence. Let us all look at the fire and warm, at the fire and warm ourselves up and recommit ourselves to a life of faith, a life of meaning and a life of following God's commandments. Maybe these lies are an answer to a question that plagues many of our youth. Some ask verbally and some don't know how to ask. Is there meaning to life? Is there a purpose? Was I created for a reason? These lights, I say, have an answer. Yes, you are pure jug of oil. Your soul is holy. Your soul is pure. You have the ability to shine, not just for one night, not just for eight days, but for an eternity. But in order to do that, you need to be a pure jug of oil. You have to connect to the source, to the source of all life to God. I'd like now to introduce the senior most rabbi in Burlington and director of Chabad-e-Vermont, Rabbi Raskin, to say a few words. Happy Hanukah, everyone, and welcome to the governor, Scott and Kenneth Gowna, body and health commissioner, and mayor. As Rabbi Ely just mentioned, we're soon going to light the fifth candle. And here's very interesting about the fifth candle. You know, in the Talmud, there's an argument. There's an argument about Hanukah. How do you supposed to light? Everyone agrees, it's eight days, and we're going to have eight candles. But in what order do we start the first night, eight? And we go down second day, seven, until we come to the last days, one, or we start first the first day, one, second day, two. So you know what? There's two opinions. There's a school of Shamai, and they say, no, you go out full force. First night, give it everything that you have, eight candles. And then you go down. You're strong enough now, you don't need to have all the power, you could a little bit relax. But Hillel and the, and we follow Hillel's opinion, he says, no, start it slowly, step by step. First night, one, second night, the second. And like this, we advance. So, so that's a message for everyone. Some of us are very hesitant. And we find ourselves, I would say, in a time of a little bit of confusion. One variant, another one, who knows what, another one is coming enough to make some of us confused that we need to have that light. The light is here to give light to the darkness, that we need to be very strong. And I'm sure with a good advice of Mark over here, we'll overcome this, and we're all going to be able to celebrate in a very, very positive way. So happy Hanukkah to everyone. I made these lights shine, and we advance step by step to the ultimate redemption very soon. Thank you. Happy Hanukkah. Thank you. Like, next, I'd like to call up the director of JCVT, the Robinette, Toby Weisman. Happy Hanukkah, everybody. I would like to sincerely thank the governor, Phil Scott, Lieutenant Governor Molly Gray, Health Commissioner Mark Levine, and Mayor Anne Watson, and Rabbi Raskin, and Rabbi Unik, and Ari for, for being here today and joining us in this really important public menorah lighting that has been going on for about 10 years. Hanukkah means dedication. We commemorate the miracle of over 2,000 years ago, when after three years of fighting for our religious freedom, Jews were able to rededicate our holy temple in Jerusalem and light the menorah again. Our sages teach us not to focus on the military victory, but to focus instead on the spiritual victory, when one cruise of oil was meant to last one day, lasted for eight days. That hidden light, that hidden jug of oil that was found in the temple, is reminding us of our hidden light that's within us, and each of us has that eternal light, that unique infinite light of God that exists with each person. So on Hanukkah we're reminded that we have this unique hidden light and that everybody has this light. We need to shine our light brightly, but really importantly we have to shine, help each other, shine each other's light, and especially for people whose light isn't shining right now. We have to help everybody who is really having a hard time to help them shine their light in the darkness. That is the message of Hanukkah that I hope we can all take away with us, no matter who we are, what religion we are, how old we are, and what our political views are. We all have this internal hidden, unique light that needs to shine in the world, and that we hope for the day that everybody's light is able to shine and will be able to live in peace and harmony in our day. Thank you. These past two years have been tough and hard for all of us. There has always been a voice of reason, a voice with empathy that we've heard Tuesdays and Thursdays together with the Governor. A voice that always calmed us, always helped us, gave us advice. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the Health Commissioner, Dr. Levine, to ask him to come up and say a few words. Thank you. And unlike most Tuesdays and Thursdays, I only have a few words. We knew the story from childhood. After driving the Hellenistic oppressors out, the Temple in Jerusalem was rededicated. The Hebrew word for dedication is Hanukkah. One tiny bottle of oil, perhaps enough to last for one day, miraculously allowed the menorah lights to burn for eight nights. In 2021, in times darkened by a pandemic, sometimes divided by politics, every time we light a Hanukkah candle, we are sharing that miracle, that light. And in the times we need a miracle the most, these lights are here for us. It's my honor to be part of the lighting of these candles with you this evening. Thank you. Next, we'd like to call up the Governor of the State of Vermont, Phil Scott. Just to add one thing, I've never seen such an approachable Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Health Commissioner or Mayor. It's truly in the spirit of Vermont. Well, thank you very much and good evening everyone. And thank you all very much for being here to celebrate the fifth night of Hanukkah at the State House. The official menorah lighting is always one of the highlights of the year and I'm so pleased to be here. After missing last year's ceremony, it really is good to be back together again celebrating such a special holiday. Lighting the menorah here at the State House is an important opportunity to celebrate the blessings and the perseverance for monitors have shown over the last year. I believe Hanukkah's lessons and values should be resonating with all of us. It's a reminder that when things are dark, there's always a light shining just as a small amount of oil shown for eight nights. When we face adversity, when things get tough and it feels like there's no end in sight, faith and community can lift the spirits and give us the strength we need to forge ahead. This was on full display throughout the pandemic and Vermonters as we typically do rose to the occasion. It's this sense of community, resilience, hope and faith. We have in one another that makes Vermont such a special place in the many acts of selflessness and service that make us who we are and I believe it's these very same values that make Hanukkah such a special holiday as well. So while we light this menorah, let's reflect on these values, appreciate one another and celebrate all that brings us together because that's so much more important than what divides us. Again, thank you very much for being here tonight. I wish you all a very happy Hanukkah and there's always one little thing that inspires me every single day and tonight I found that with Ari. Ari told me that he was that going back to school this year was so much better than last year so thank you Ari. Thank you, thank you. It is an honor for us to have the health commissioner Dr. Mark Levine and here with us and honor him with the saying the blessings for the menorah lighting and to light the menorah for us. I just want to say that they have a blessing everyone. If you have a song sheet the blessings are on one side of it so you can take out your song sheets now and and say the blessings together with Mark Levine to help our health commissioner. You have a copy of them so please sing together. Music here so please stay and enjoy yourself.