Chanukah's first candle lighting was celebrated together with families from Shaarei Tikvah Synagogue in Cleveland and with members from the Beit Shean Region community. This celebration took place at the Beit Shean Guest House and included greetings from Partnership 2000's Director and representatives from the city and region.

Rabbi Shmuel Slotki from Kibbutz Ein Hanatziv (who spent two years in Cleveland), and Shaarei Tikvah's Rabbi, Rabbi Bernstein, lit the candles together and sang with the children. As always, the highlight of the visit was home hospitality in houses of residents of the region.