For Rabbi Mendy Krasnjansky, Hanukkah was always the most fun of the Jewish holidays when he was growing up because he would receive toys and chocolate candy coins (gelt) and eat lots of jelly doughnuts. But as he matured, it also became the most meaningful.

"Hanukkah is quintessentially what my parents do throughout the year, what they have been doing here the past 26 years, to teach people as much as they can," said the 21-year-old son of Rabbi Itchel and Pearl Krasnjansky, who started Chabad of Hawaii.

"The message of Hanukkah is to spread the light of God" year-round, not only during the eight-day celebration.

As each night of Hanukkah goes by, one more candle on the menorah, or candelabra, is lit to symbolize that "we can never be satisfied with what we did yesterday" because there’s always more to do, he added.

Hanukkah, also known as the Festival of Lights, concluded Thursday night after starting the night before Thanksgiving — a rare calendar overlap that won’t recur for thousands of years. It commemorates a miracle in the second century B.C. when a small rebel band of Jews, the Maccabees, reclaimed their desecrated temple in Jerusalem from the powerful Syrian-Greeks. The Jews could find enough sacred oil to last only one night, but miraculously the small supply kept burning for the eight days required to purify the temple.

Krasnjansky always wanted to be a rabbi because he saw how enjoyable and fulfilling his parents’ ministry was. One of seven siblings, he surmises he is "the first kamaaina ordained rabbi," born in Hawaii. He received his rabbinical ordination late last year in South Africa. However, Krasnjansky adds, "I wouldn’t consider myself a full-fledged rabbi yet," noting that he’ll feel better established with more studying and experience.

At about the age of 9, while attending a school for Jewish studies in New York, Krasnjansky started developing a deep appreciation of his family’s religious celebrations, partly because he associated the longer holidays with being able to come home to Hawaii. Over the last two years, while studying and pursuing community outreach work in Israel and South Africa, the traditions he grew up with became more meaningful spiritually.

Coming home for Hanukkah and being able to help his parents was especially gratifying.

This year Krasnjansky helped build a "giant can menorah" with nearly 1,500 cans of food (which will be given to food banks and shelters) donated by the community. He also took part in a parade through Waikiki, two public menorah lightings and daily meals and services at Chabad.

Being away and not being able to help out at Chabad with all the other holidays during the year made Krasnjansky realize how special it is to be part of an Orthodox Jewish family — "I mean, I helped (with celebrations) wherever I was, but there’s no place like home. … Home always will have a special place in my heart, to be able to help in the state of Hawaii where I was born and raised, and that I love."

Hanukkah, Krasnjansky said, "resonates with me of all the other holidays" because of its theme of spreading light and joy. Among the holiday’s joys, as a boy, Krasnjansky was delighted by small gifts — "I can remember a skateboard one year and a basketball one year — nothing really big, just symbolic things."

He never envied his friends for all the presents they received, having a Christmas tree or other Christian customs that are usually celebrated around Hanukkah. Why? Because "Hanukkah is eight days long, so there are more days of gifts" and different uplifting traditions that kept his family busy, Krasnjansky said.

There’s also the prophet Isaiah’s primary directive to the Jewish people, he adds, "to be a light unto the nations," referring to light as representing good, "to make the world we’re living in a more godly place — for everyone to do good, to help."