Hawks Celebrate Chanukah Night

While the Atlanta Hawks, amidst an early season skid, fell 129-122 to the defending champion Denver Nuggets on Dec. 11, at State Farm Arena, the evening was far from a total loss.

During halftime of a game that was noteworthy for reserve guard Bogdan Bogdanovic pouring in 40 points on 10 made three-pointers, the franchise put on its annual menorah lighting ceremony as part of “Chanukah Night.” This year, per its track record, the holiday festivities were organized by the Chabad of Georgia in conjunction with the Israeli Consulate and local Jewish organizations.

The candle lighting ceremony, held at center court of the Hawks’ home arena, featured David Lubin, father of Rose Lubin, the 21-year-old Dunwoody native who was serving as a Border Police officer in Jerusalem’s Old City precinct when she was murdered in a stabbing attack early last month; Anat Sultan-Dadon, Consul General of Israel to Southeastern U.S. (she was present last year as well); and Jami Gertz, Hawks principal owner, who is married to Tony Ressler and likewise belongs to the Jewish community. Representing the Chabad of Georgia – an organization that consistently has a prominent role in this event that galvanizes broad swaths of the greater Atlanta Jewish community — were Yale New and Rabbi Isser New, associate director of Chabad of Georgia. Along with the lighting of the menorah, a Chanukah song was performed by Ber Cohen, Avremel Chazanow, and Matt Needleman.

Get The AJT Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up

This was the ninth consecutive winter that the Hawks have held Chanukah Night. Meanwhile, it was the second consecutive Chanukah Night in which State Farm Arena had a sold-out crowd. Looking ahead to next year, with Chanukah not starting until sundown on Dec. 25, the tenth anniversary of the celebration will in all likelihood not be until the last week of December.