photo by: John Young

Big Jay and Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel light a nine foot tall menorah outside the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire Street, Sunday evening.

Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, begins Sunday. And in Lawrence, like many Jewish households across the world, it’ll begin with latkes, gifts and lighting the menorah — a 9-foot, glow-in-the-dark menorah that Rabbi Zalman Tiechtel of the Chabad Center for Jewish Life proudly describes as the first Lawrence has ever seen.

At 5 p.m. Sunday, Tiechtel will ignite the candles of the menorah in a public celebration outside of the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St. City commissioners, Mayor Mike Amyx, Lawrence Police Chief Tarik Khatib and — if previous years are any indication — about 100 onlookers are expected to attend Sunday’s ceremony, which Tiechtel says has grown steadily since it first started a decade ago.

“What’s beautiful about it is it’s such a broad spectrum of people who join, members of the Jewish community and beyond,” says Tiechtel, who also serves as co-director of the Chabad Center. “Lawrence is such a diverse, multicultural community, and this is an event that actually reflects that.”

Lawrence’s lighting ceremony, Tiechtel points out, is one of thousands throughout the globe sponsored by the international Chabad organization. Conceived and built by local volunteers, this year’s Lawrence glow-in-the-dark menorah symbolizes not just the miracle of Hanukkah itself (in which the Maccabees’ one-day supply of oil burned for eight days, keeping the temple lit throughout each night) but also the prevailing power of light in dark times.

“There’s been so much darkness in the recent weeks and months with the terrorist attacks around the world and the random shootings in this country,” Tiechtel says. “Everybody present at the event should feel the presence of light and should be inspired to pass on that light and make this world a better place. We don’t fight darkness with darkness — we fight darkness with light.”

In keeping with that theme, Sunday’s celebration will also include an array of fire tricks (among them juggling, twirling and eating) by the “Amazin’ Jason Divad,” hot beverages and Hanukkah treats like latkes and doughnuts (“We commemorate that miracle with lots of fried food,” Tiechtel jokes, “And cholesterol”), plus holiday music and general merriment.

Chabad’s giant menorah won’t stay in one place long. It’s slated to travel across Lawrence and beyond starting Monday with a lighting at the Kansas Union, followed by trips to the Statehouse in Topeka on Wednesday and various locations Thursday.

For more on the menorah’s whereabouts, visit jewishku.com. If you’re unable to attend any of next week’s lighting ceremonies, the Chabad Center is giving away free candles and a menorah to anyone who wants to celebrate the holiday, regardless of faith, Tiechtel says — call 832-8672, email chabadku@gmail.com or stop by the center at 1201 W. 19th St.