President Clinton, along with first Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton , participated in a menorah lighting to celebrate the first night of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah . A class of 20 fourth grade students from the Gesher Jewish Day School of Northern Virginia in Fairfax, Virginia, joined the President and First Lady in lighting the menorah.

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights , celebrates the victory of a small band of Jews who revolted against religious persecution. Upon their victory, the Jews went to the nearly destroyed Temple and, as was customary, lit a menorah but with only enough oil to last one day. In an act attributed to Divine intervention, the oil lasted eight days, long enough for more oil to be pressed. Jews around the world now light menorahs for eight consecutive evenings to remember the miracle of the oil.

The menorah that was used was made as a tribute to the Breed Street Shul in Los Angeles, California. Modeled after the historic synagogue, the menorah was created by California artist Marlene Zimmerman, who was commissioned by the Jewish Historical Society of Southern California to commemorate the First Lady's visit to the synagogue in 1998. The Breed Street Shul has been designated a Save America's Treasures project.

In addition to the students from the Gesher Jewish Day School, The President and First Lady were also joined by the following administrators from the school: Dr. Lenore Kopelovich, Head of School; Ellen Woll, Teacher; Linda Yitzchak, Judiacs Director. Artist Marlene Zimmerman, and her husband Fred Zimmerman, were also in attendance.