Audio News Release: Temple Emanuel, Largest Reform Synagogue in New Jersey,Breaks World Record in Dreidel Spinning

CHERRY HILL, NJ -- December 18, 2005 -- Just a week before the beginning of Hanukkah, Temple Emanuel in Cherry Hill, N.J., the largest Reform synagogue in New Jersey, has broken the world's record for dreidel spinning, with 541 dreidels spun simultaneously for at least ten seconds. This is an audio news release from the event. Stereo MP3 audio file, 1:45 length, standard outcue. Radio stations are welcome to use this audio report. Please email [email protected] with broadcast usage report. Background Information According to the Guinness Book of World's Records, the previous world's record of 535 people simultaneously spinning dreidels was set by University of Maryland Hillel in 1999. Today's dreidel spin record involved 578 participants, including – in an ecumenical demonstration of interfaith cooperation -- a contingent of students from Bishop Eustace Preparatory School, a private Catholic school in Pennsauken. "We are absolutely thrilled that we've broken the world's record for dreidel spinning,? said Rabbi Debbie Cohen, director of life long learning at the synagogue and organizer of the world record dreidel spin. "More importantly, we gave members of our temple and the surrounding community an exciting, fun opportunity to come together in a playful way and get to know our synagogue a little better.? The dreidel spin world record is subject to acceptance by the Guinness editors. The final count was supervised by Harry Platt, a councilman and former mayor of Voorhees, and Steven Burkett, a member of M'kor Shalom Synagogue in Cherry Hill and immediate past president of the regional council of the Union for Reform Judaism. Founded in Cherry Hill (then Delaware Township) in 1950, Temple Emanuel, a member of the Union for Reform Judaism, serves some 1,000 families from Camden, Gloucester and Burlington Counties. # # # #