Today’s Public Domain image is print made in 1880, entitled “New York City – The Chanucka Celebration By The Young Men’s Hebrew Association” that I found in the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division.[Chanucka is yet another transliteration into English of the Hebrew name for the holiday.] The ‘Young Men’s Hebrew Association” was formed along the lines of the Young Men’s Christian Association, or, as we now know it, YMCA. [Cue Village People song...just kidding!] Originally the YMCA was not as secularized as it is now – it was a religious organization. So the YMHA was formed in 1854 as the Jewish counterpart, with the express purpose of providing help and community support to Jewish immigrants [The Young Women's Hebrew Association (YWHA) was formed in 1888. In 1917 they combined to form the Jewish Welfare Board and later were renamed Jewish Community Centers (JCCs).]

In any case, it looks like they had quite a party, if this illustration is to be believed. Up on stage are quite a number of men, with trumpeters on the sides and women kneeling in the foreground. Click on it to view it / download it full sized.

"New York City - the Chanucka Celebration by the Young Men's Hebrew Association", 1880. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs LOC #LC-USZ62-103362

Shalom,

Bekka

Tags: .jpg, 1880, bw, Chanukah, daily public domain, DPD, Festival of Lights, free, graphics, Hanukah, holiday, illustration, image, ladies, Library of Congress, line drawing, LOC, man, men, PD, print, Winter, woman, women, YMHA, Young Men's Hebrew Association