Lido Key, Longboat members of Temple Emanu-El try Hanukkah on the beach

Irv Ross dutifully guarded the menorah as Doris Ross worked to light one candle for each of the four nights of Hanukkah so far on Dec. 1. Fellow Temple Emanu-El members cheered the pair on, but try as they might, they only got a few moments of flame before the gulf breeze blew it away. Even still, members of the temple enjoyed a different Hanukkah celebration. 

The Lido beach event was just one out of 10 Hanukkah events the Sarasota temple is putting on throughout the duration of the holiday, which started Nov. 28. There were about 40 people who headed down to the sand for the event, and Rabbi Elaine Glickman and Rabbi Brenner Glickman encouraged them to introduce themselves to someone they didn't know.

It was the first year they've done a Hanukkah event on the beach, said Rabbi Elaine Glickman, but due to the pleasant evening and strong turnout, it's likely they'll do it again.

Barbara Mazer, who led the congregation in music at times during the pandemic, played several Hanukkah songs and got the whole crowd singing. As the sun started to sink below the horizon and the fourth night began, the event's hosts lit the three menorahs on the table. Much as friendly helpers tried to guard the flame of the shamash from the evening breeze, the candles stubbornly refused to light for very long.