One of Michigan’s largest Hanukkah celebrations will feature an Israeli family reunited after two of its members were kidnapped and held hostage by Hamas.
Ella Ben Ami traveled from Be’eri, Israel to Detroit’s Menorah in the D event in 2023 after her parents were taken hostage in the Oct. 7 attack of that year, in which 251 people were kidnapped by Hamas militants in Gaza. Her mother Raz Ben Ami was freed after 54 days in captivity, but her father Ohad Ben Ami was not released until Feb. 8, 2025 after 491 days in captivity.
The last remaining Israeli hostages were freed last month after months of combat, resulting in more than 69,000 killed in Gaza.
Menorah in the D was founded in 2011 and draws thousands to downtown Detroit to celebrate Jewish religious freedom, featuring the lighting of a 26-foot-tall menorah in addition to live music and other cultural activities.
“Each year, Menorah in the D reminds us that even a small light can dispel great darkness,” Rabbi Kasriel Shemtov, executive director of Chabad Lubavitch of Michigan, said in a statement. “This celebration embodies the strength and unity of Detroit’s diverse community.”
Menorah in the D begins at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14 in Cadillac Square, with the menorah lighting beginning at sundown. The event is free and open to the public.
More information is available at menorahinthed.com.
