On Thursday, Dec. 10, the first night of Hanukkah, about two dozen people bundled up and gathered outside of Har Shalom in Missoula to light the first candle on an outdoor Hanukkiah.
The event felt like a big deal and absolutely normal at the same time, said Rabbi Laurie Franklin of Har Shalom.
âItâs the return of a familiar pattern and itâs also completely different,â Franklin said. âThereâs a sense of wanting to connect with the people who came but we arenât hugging.â
Holidays have always been a time to gather, eat, drink and be merry. But as with many events throughout 2020, celebrations look different this year. Many long-held Missoula traditions have been modified to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
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Audience braves cold for the chance to see in-person Missoula concert
and last updated 2020-12-14 14:28:44-05
MISSOULA â Despite this weekendâs chilly temperatures, over 100 people turned out for the annual outdoor TubaChristmas concert.
Under normal circumstances, TubaChristmas would be held indoors at the Southgate Mall, but due to COVID-19, organizers felt it would be safer for everyone to hold the concert outside at Bonner Park, where a handful of city band concerts were successfully held over the summer.
The âTuba Team, consisting of 35 musicians, performed holiday favorites to a socially distant crowd.
Organizer Gary Gillett said the group never actually rehearsed beforehand in an effort to avoid additional contact, but seeing all the smiles in the audience, you never would have known.
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