Chanukah by the numbers

On the first night of Chanukah LCM held their annual Chanukah mesiba. Fresh from a shiur by Rabbi Doniel Lander, the guys poured onto the fourth floor and legs flying, floor pounding, voices raised. The Chanukah mesiba was off to a jumping start. The beat was provided by the Lander Band, the food from Carlos and Gabby’s, and a new machlokes arose with regards to the menorah. The machlokes? Centering around the menorah contest, three LCM students made menorahs with rebbeim (and deans and founders) representing the candles. Each one with a different shamesh. So, should Rabbi Shmulewitz, Dean Ratner or Dr. Lander be the shamesh? According to (l’fee day’as) Zev Kilstein’s box menorah entry into the menorah contest, it is Rabbi Shmulewitz; according to Jeremy Levi’s cake menorah entry it is Dean Ratner; and according to Scott Sears’ menorah entry it is Dr. Lander, z”tl. But the winners of the contest (both of whom avoided the debate) were Aryeh Schachter (runner up) for his excellent use of his pre-mesiba sushi leftovers and to Mimon Mamane (grand prize) for his ‘beis medrash lamps’ menorah.

At the heart of the food, fun, music and menorahs though, this was a family event, and the LCM family brought their families and the joy in Chanukah and in each other was palpable. Or maybe that was the bass.