Rainfall didn’t douse the menorah lighting in Stamford’s Latham Park on Sunday night.

Chabad of Stamford came together in song, prayer and celebration beneath Fairfield County’s largest menorah. Rabbi Daniel Cohen lit the first four candles.

Organizers say there are similarities many years later to the original story of Hanukkah. Both now and then, they say Jews’ ability to practice their religion was under attack.

“As we drove through Stamford waving at people and wishing them happy Hanukkah, people smiled and waved back. A year ago, we may have taken that for granted,” said Leah Shemtov, co-director of Chabad of Stamford. “Today, we did not take that for granted, to know that there are good people in the world that recognize goodness, that recognize light and want to be part of that.”

After the lighting, Chabad provided fresh latkes – which is tradition in Jewish culture – and hosted Israeli singer Yoel Sharabi in concert.