The annual menorah lighting on Wilton’s Town Green brought a large group of residents and officials together to celebrate the fifth night of Hanukkah on Monday night, Dec. 11.

The enormous silver display menorah, provided by the Schneerson Center for Jewish Life, was lit in a ceremony that included music and dancing, as well as thoughtful words for the holiday season.

“It’s always an important time of the year for the Jewish community and all their friends,” said newly elected First Selectman Toni Boucher, “but particularly this year it’s so important for all of us to be here to show our solidarity and our support and our respect for our Jewish neighbors and friends and community in Wilton.”

Standing with fellow Board of Selectmen members Kim Healy, Ross Tartell and Josh Cole, Boucher said alluded to the rise in antisemitism following terror attacks in Israel in October and the ensuing war with Hamas.

“We are family here and when a family member is attacked, we all feel attacked and we will stand with you in unity,” she said.

Boucher and other town officials took part in the lighting ceremony, led by Rabbi Levi Stone of the Schneerson Center.

“The menorah standing tall and proud in the middle of Wilton Green in a sign of and testimonial to our freedom, which we cherish and hold very dearly,” he said.

He made note of this year’s lighting being dedicated to those who are unable to have their own holiday ceremony.

“Our prayer is that those that aren’t able this evening, for whatever reason, whether they’re fighting, whether they’re held against their will and cannot light the menorah in their home, we are lighting the menorah and having them in mind,” he said. “We pray that they will be reunited with their families and will be able to kindle the menorah in their homes with their families for the rest of Hanukkah.”

Among those in attendance was Cantor Harriet Dunkerley of Temple B’nai Chaim in Georgetown.

“I’d just like to wish everyone a happy Hanukkah,” she said.

“My prayer is that the light from the Hanukkah menorah might serve to illuminate the divine light within all of us, the spark of humanity … and that that might reach around the world on this Hanukkah and in this season of light,” she said.

Stone’s wife, Chanie Stone, who helped organize the event, noted the value of assembling everyone for this holiday.

“What I love about it, especially this year, it’s so important to show the unification of people towards peace … It brings the whole community together — people from the Jewish community and the entire Wilton community.”

“Our tradition is very peaceful so it’s important for us to share the light of peace and serenity,” she said. “The world’s in turmoil, so this is just like a moment we can stop, we can reflect, we can celebrate and we can notice what’s important.”