Page 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, DECEmbEr 16, 2022 ANTISEMITISM | FROM PAGE 1 “This is the first event of this kind, and I hope it will continue as a tradition in Saugus. I am also delighted that my friend, Ruth Berg, will be lighting the Menorah this year,” Panetta said. “It’s wonderful how our community comes together to respect and support each other,” she said. “A great honor” Ruth Berg, 90, who has been a Saugus resident for 55 years, called it “a great $3.79 GALLON We accept: MasterCard * Visa * & Discover Price Subject to Change without notice 100 Gal. Min. 24 Hr. Service 781-286-2602 honor” that’s been bestowed upon her as a person of Jewish faith to play a key role in Monday’s ceremony. Berg said she first learned about it earlier this month when Cogliano informed her at the town’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Festivities that he wanted her to light the Menorah. “It’s one of the greatest things to happen to me,” Berg said in an interview this week. “I’m very flattered and pleased. I’m just overwhelmed and bursting with pride all over that I would be asked to do this great honor. I love the town and I’m so proud to live here and be a part of the community. I’m just shocked that I would be asked to do this,” she said. In her time living in Saugus, Berg said, she can’t recall the Menorah being lit at Town Hall. “It may have happened. But if it did, I’m not aware of it. I never thought about the town being involved in it before,” she said. Cogliano played a major role in helping to organize this coming Monday’s ceremony in addition to the SepRuth Berg, who is shown at a Memorial Day ceremony several years ago, has been selected to light the Menorah during a noon ceremony on Monday (Dec. 19) at Town Hall. (Saugus Advocate file photo by Mark E. Vogler) tember rally. “I don’t think many people know it, but my Grandmother Anne Cogliano was Jewish. Her maiden name was Brokrenski but Rabbi Yossi Lipsker, who is shown at a September rally in Saugus denouncing antisemitism, blows into a shofar – an ancient musical horn used for Jewish religious purposes. (Saugus Advocate file photo by Mark E. Vogler) when her family migrated here from Russia they shortened it to Browne,” Cogliano said. “I know she’d be proud to see how far we’ve come. It’s just another great day for Saugus and hopefully the start of a new yearly tradition. I’d like to give a lion’s share of the credit to Chief Mike Ricciardelli for helping organize the event with Rabbi Yossi Lipsker,” he said. “I hope to see everyone come out and support us. Donuts and coffee will be provided by Kane’s Donuts.” Candle with Care! mass. Dept. of Fire Services urges public to be careful to prevent candle fires at home, which are most common over this holiday season (Editor’s Note: The state Department of Fire Services issued the following press release, urging the public to practice safety when it comes to using candles in the home. The Saugus Advocate requested information on the number of candle-related fires in Saugus in recent years, including information about property damage.) C andle Safety Day is observed on the second Monday of December, and State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey is reminding residents to follow safety guidelines as we enter the period when most candle fires start. “There have been more than 1,000 candle fires in Massachusetts over the past 10 years,” State Fire Marshal Ostroskey said. “Together, they caused nine deaths, 192 injuries, and over $32 million in damages. More of these fires started in December than in any other month, and especially on the days leading up to Christmas. If candles are part of your celebration or decoration, be sure to use them carefully.” Candles are part of many holiday traditions this time of year, including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. State Fire Marshal Ostroskey offered the following safety tips to reduce the risk of fire: · No matter the season, have working smoke alarms on every level of your home, outside bedrooms, at the top of open stairs, and at the base of cellar stairs. · Keep a one-foot “circle of safety” around candles, free of anything that can burn. · Always extinguish candles when you leave the room or go to sleep, and don’t leave them unattended. · Use a non-combustible saucer or candleholder. · Keep candles out of reach of children and pets, and store matches and lighters up high where kids can’t access them. · Consider switching to battery-operated flameless candles. There were 93 candle fires in Massachusetts last year and 75 took place in residential settings. The most common location was the bedroom, followed by the kitchen, bathroom, and living room. One such fire in Boston began when a candle ignited bedroom curtains and spread, causing half a million dollars in damages and displacing five people from their home. “Candle fires peaked in Massachusetts in 1999, when we recorded 342 of them,” State Fire Marshal Ostroskey said. “The following year, we began observing Candle Safety Day on the second Monday of December to promote awareness of the problem. Since that time, we’ve observed a 73% decrease in candle fires. Let’s continue to practice safe candle use, especially around the holidays.” Candle-related fires in Saugus The Saugus Advocate requested information on the number of candle-related fires CANDLE | SEE PAGE 8
3 Publizr Home