In honor of the first night of Hanukkah, Mahwah’s Temple Beth Haverim Shir Shalom is hosting a community menorah lighting Tuesday night at 6 p.m.

“It’s a short event, but we try to make it a great time for families in the area,” Rabbi Joel Mosbacher said. “We’ll have songs, hot cocoa and we’ll be lighting the beautiful menorah that will grace the front of the synagogue throughout the duration of Hanukkah.”

According to Mosbacher, the temple has invited the mayors and town council members of Mahwah and surrounding towns  to attend the event. “We really want to open this to everyone in the community,” he said.

This will be the second annual lighting at the temple, which Mosbacher says he hopes will continue. “In years past, I was invited to nearby town halls or places like that which were holding lighting ceremonies. While I was honored, I really feel this is the place where the ceremony belongs, and we are happy to open the synagogue to everyone,” he said.

The large menorah is already up on the lawn of the temple, waiting to be lit Tuesday evening.