A celebration of Hanukkah took place at Manticore Books on Wednesday evening.
Michael Fredson, owner of the popular downtown bookstore, says it was meaningful to invite the community back to his store to celebrate the Jewish festival after the pandemic forced the cancellation of community events over the past two years.
“My family is Jewish,” he explained. “We didn’t have much of a Jewish community in Orillia that we could find, so when we joined Chabad, the organization that is here from Barrie, the rabbi talked to us about the community in Orillia and he said we should have a Menorah lighting.”
Fredson says it gives him a sense of pride to host the event in his store.
“It’s nice to have it here with our family being Jewish,” he said.
Before Manticore Books took over the 103 Mississaga St. E. location, it was Harry’s Men’s Wear in the 1950s and ‘60s. The owner of the store was Jewish and established a Hebrew school upstairs, explained Fredson.
“After a couple of more building owners, we’ve owned it and brought the Jewish community back to the same place,” Fredson said.
During the Hanukkah festival, Fredson says the atmosphere is “party like."
“It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “In our first year doing this we had around 50 people and it’s kept growing ever since.”
While the festival is a Jewish celebration, Fredson wants everyone in Orillia and the surrounding area to feel welcome to join in on the fun each year.
“We want everyone to experience, to learn, and see what it’s all about,” he said. “Everybody is welcome.”
Having everybody included in the festivities helps Fredson and other Jewish people in Orillia feel accepted and a part of the community, he explained.
“I think everybody really enjoys learning about what other traditions are,” he said. “It’s nice seeing the inclusiveness that is here, it’s a diverse crowd.”
Rabbi Mendel Nakkar from the Chabad Jewish Centre of Barrie says it's important to bring the Hanukkah holiday to the Jewish community in Orillia.
“There is a growing Jewish community up here,” he said. “There are a lot of Jewish families that have moved up here over the last several years.”
Nakkar says the message of Hanukkah is universal and can be celebrated by all.
“The message is all about increasing light,” he said. “It’s all about the freedom of religion.”
When oppression is happening, along with a rise in antisemitism, it’s important for Jews to have a place to express their religion without fear, Nakkar says.
He also says it is meaningful to have had Orillia Mayor Don McIsaac and Simcoe North MP Adam Chambers present at the celebration on Wednesday evening.
“It means a lot to the Jewish community,” he said. “It means our holidays are recognized, celebrated, and the Jewish community is recognized which is something I am very grateful for.”
