First Smart Menorah Used To Celebrate Chanukah

Students from the Dos Pueblos High School engineering academy in Goleta teamed up with the co-founder of Emmoco to create a smart menorah. Cody Kaufer came up with the idea just seven weeks ago. With the help of other students, Kaufer and Bob Frankel, who runs a company that uses smartphones to control things, made the idea a reality. The menorah was completed just in time for the 34th annual Chanukah in the Mall celebration at La Cumbre Plaza in Santa Barbara.

Dozens of families gathered around the to watch the lighting on the second to last night of Chanukah. They were given a change to control the lights and colors of each plastic branch with the help of iPhones and iPads. Participants just had to download the newly-invented app.

Spectators who enjoyed free kosher doughnuts, and latkes called the smart menorah the perfect combination of old and new. Rabbi Zalmy of Chabad of Santa Barbara said the high-tech menorah is a reminder that light can push away darkness.

For more information visit www.sbchabad.org