Young Jewish Girls Light Too

On her third birthday, Goldie Ceitlin has helped renew an age-old custom that has been practiced in many Jewish communities dating back to the matriarch Rebecca.

Standing on a plastic chair at Congregation Young Israel of Tucson, Ceitlin proudly lit a Shabbat candle for the first time and said the traditional blessing.

She was followed by her mother Mrs. Feigie Ceitlin, and grandmothers Mrs. Chanie Shemtov of Tucson and Mrs. Adina Ceitlin of Montreal, Canada and the women and girls among the crowd of 100 people.

Researches say that it was only during the World Wars that the custom of young girls lighting candles stopped being observed.

At that time, candles became scarce and even the heads of households could not easily obtain candles. Therefore the custom of young girls lighting candles was forgotten.

With this no longer an issue, the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M.Schneersohn, of righteous memory, encouraged all Jewish girls to light their own Shabbat and holiday candles with the consent of their parents.

Her father, Rabbi Yehuda Ceitlin and grandfather, Rabbi Yossie Shemtov of Chabad Tucson urged participants to have Shabbat candles lit in their own homes (learn more about this special mitzvah).

Honored with lighting the menorah on the 7th night of Chanukah was Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild.

A video starring Goldie Ceitlin based on the children's book "Is It Shabbos Yet?" was shown before candle lighting: