Temple Ahavat Achim will build a menorah out of lobster traps

Lobster traps aren’t just for Christmas trees and lobsters this holiday season. Temple Ahavat Achim will build a menorah out of lobster traps at its 86 Middle Street location on Dec. 14.

 The menorah will be ready for Hanukkah, the Jewish holiday that begins on the evening of Dec. 16 and runs through the evening of Dec. 23.

 Phoebe Potts, director of the Sylvia Cohen Religious School at Temple Ahavat Achim, said this menorah will be the first of its kind.

 “I love the idea because it highlights the uniqueness of our community, and it fits in with the local culture,” she said.

 The idea came from a temple member who saw the Cape Ann Art Haven lobster trap Christmas tree on Main Street in Gloucester and said that the temple could use lobster traps for a large menorah. Potts said David Brooks of The Hive and Art Haven supports the idea.

 Paul Erhard, a structural engineer and temple member, designed the structure. Forty lobster traps, piping, zip ties, and LED lights will be used in menorah’s construction.

 On the first night of Hanukkah, Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m., the temple will hold a community lighting and celebration that will include the participation of Hebrew school students, a brief service, singing, and delicious potato pancakes known as latkes. Marilyn Kramer, Temple Ahavat Achim president, has invited Senator Bruce Tarr, State Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante, Gloucester Mayor Carolyn Kirk, and Gloucester’s city council to the event.

 Kramer said, “We will also pause to remember that this is the anniversary of the fire that destroyed our former building in 2007 and how the Gloucester community supported us as we rebuilt our new home on Middle Street.”

 Temple Ahavat Achim is the only Jewish congregation on Cape Ann. Located in Gloucester, a city celebrated for its coastal beauty and its artistic and maritime heritage, temple members participate in prayer, learning, holiday celebrations, and charitable work.