When someone says it’s “raining cats and dogs,” they mean the rain is coming down in buckets. But, if someone says it’s raining gelt, they likely mean that Chabad Lubavitch of Frederick is dropping more than 1,000 pieces of chocolate out of a helicopter for Chanukah.
This year marks the third annual Car Menorah Parade and Helicopter Gelt Drop Chanukah celebration, organized by Chabad Lubavitch of Frederick. On Dec. 21, the last night of Chanukah, members of the community will gather at Max Kehne Memorial Park in Frederick to attach LED menorahs to their car roofs and drive through the city streets — a sight in itself, without the helicopter.
“The Lubavitcher Rebbe often emphasized that the lights of the Menorah teach us a timeless lesson: ‘A little bit of light dispels a great deal of darkness,” said Rabbi Boruch Labkowski at Chabad Lubavitch of Frederick. “Each night of Chanukah, we add an additional candle, not simply repeating the previous day, but increasing the light. The Rebbe explained that this is a reminder to continually increase in acts of goodness, study of Torah and mitzvos, spreading light outward to the world around us.”
With a police escort, roughly a dozen or so cars will drive through downtown Frederick to Frederick Municipal Airport for what Labkowski said is “one of the community’s most joyful and visually striking Chanukah traditions.”
At the airport, families will convene to watch more than 1,000 pieces of Chanukah gelt dropped from a helicopter as a part of the celebration.
“The inspiration comes from Chabad’s global mission to share the joy and message of Chanukah in creative, uplifting ways that resonate with children and adults alike,” Labkowski wrote in an email to Baltimore Jewish Times.
Labkowski and volunteers work closely with airport staff and licensed pilots to ensure the gelt drop is executed safely. “The helicopter ascends to a height that is visible and exciting for everyone, then releases more than 1,000 chocolate coins in several intervals over a clearly designated, cone-marked drop zone,” he explained.
“Children and families watch from a safe distance during the drop itself,” Labkowski said. “Only after the helicopter has fully cleared the area and the airport staff give the official go-ahead do the children rush in, thrilled to gather the intact chocolate coins scattered across the field.”
This way, no one gets pelted by gelt.
“Public celebrations that share the miracle of Chanukah with the broader community illuminate the physical night as well as the spiritual environment of a city, bringing warmth, unity and joy to all who participate,” Labkowski said. “The helicopter gelt drop is our way of bringing that message alive to the Frederick community, making the festival’s light felt in a memorable and uplifting way for children and families.”
Labkowski explained that Chabad Lubavitch of Frederick is expecting roughly 200 people to attend and watch as the chocolate coins are dropped from the sky.
“Between [the children’s] enthusiasm and the volunteers’ final walk-through, every last coin is quickly collected,” the rabbi said.
Alongside the typical Chanukah celebrations, including menorah lighting, Chanukah treats and holiday music — and Chabad of Lubavitch Frederick’s very atypical celebrations — Chabad will also host a raffle for an LED menorah at this year’s gelt drop, “bringing the light and spirit of Chanukah to the streets of Frederick,” Labkowitz stated.
