Anyone wishing to see Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at his partying best had to go no further than the Hard Rock Café at Universal CityWalk Sunday night, where the city’s top politician climbed on a Chabad-Lubavitch rabbi’s shoulders to join in a Chasidic dance on occasion of the first night of Chanukah.

Some 15,000 people, including L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca and Israeli Consul General Jacob Dayan, joined the mayor for the bash, which saw the lighting of a giant 15-foot menorah erected just outside the landmark attraction by Chabad of the Valley.

In his remarks, the mayor urged attendees to honor the memory of the victims of the recent terror attacks in Mumbai, India, by spreading goodness and kindness through their communities. …

The eight-day festival of Chanukah began Sunday night. For more information about the holiday, click here.