Center Spirit Magazine’s Chanukah Issue Sparks Fun Ideas, Recipes, and Stories

By Yehudit Garmaise

 Chanukah is just hours away, and Center Spirit Magazine is packed full of fun articles that can help prepare readers to create a lichtige Yom Tov.

Raizy Pavlov, who is the director of recreation at Boro Park Center (BPC) and the magazine’s editor-in-chief, captured the wide range of freilach, inspiring, and creative activities that make every day, every Shabbos, and every Yom Tov at BPC feel like home.

Every night of Chanukah, for instance, Rabbi Aaron Waijsfeld leads a beautiful “licht tzinden” ceremony that includes live music, dancing, and fun activities, like frying latkes, baking donuts, and painting ceramic menorahs.

So that readers can get a sense of how BPC’s Recreation Department plans and executes so many fun activities that make the Center “a home with a heart,” BPC reporter Meir Segal went behind-the scenes to investigate the magic created by the recreation team of which Mrs. Pavlov considers herself the “head counselor.”

Everyone’s menorahs will be soon shining bright, however, with all those little flames come large fire hazards.

To stay safe this Yom Tov, firefighter Captain Paul Olsen provides his best tips for fire safety, after many years on the job.

Chanukah foods are not only delicious, but the oil they contain, of course, reminds of us the miracle in the bais hamikdash, so a reporter breaks down the different types of olive oils: a food that the magazine reports has been eaten since the time of Creation!

To create the most gevaldig Chanukah parties this year, Raizy Fried of Raizy’s Cookin’ provides fun party-planning inspiration that will make this year’s bash your best yet.

As winter sets in and the hours of sunshine decrease, physician-assistant Penina Pultman provides her professional tips on how New Yorkers can beat the winter blues.