CLEARWATER — On Thursday, as the sun set behind the Clearwater Memorial Causeway Bridge, Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector lit the accompanying candle on a cookie-themed menorah as part of a celebration at Coachman Park marking the eight-day Jewish holiday.

Before lighting the menorah, the rector expressed his hope for the release of 100 Jewish hostages held in Gaza for almost 450 days.

Rabbi Levi Hodakov, spiritual director of the Tabacic Chabad Center and organizer of the event, explained the menorah tradition: “It is lit every night to commemorate the miracle of the oil, which lasted eight days instead of one.”

The event included a performance by the band Simply Tsfat from Israel, the (edible) cookie menorah, cotton candy, caricatures, a meet-and-greet with three Tampa Bay mascots, and a gelt drop and dreidel hunt by the Clearwater Fire Department and classic Hanukkah treats like latkes and donuts.

Hanukkah began at sunset on Wednesday and ends at nightfall on January 2nd.