On Thursday evening, Mayor Dieter Reiter (SPD) lit the first candle of the oversized Hanukkah candlestick in front of the main Jewish synagogue on St.-Jakobs-Platz; Another one will be added every day until December 15th. The Hanukkah light was publicly lit in Munich for the 26th time. “The candlestick is part of the cityscape like the Christmas tree in front of the town hall,” said Reiter. But this time everything is different: This year, the Jewish festival is influenced by the attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists exactly two months ago.
“Is this really a time to celebrate?” asked Rabbi Israel Diskin and answered himself: “In the darkness, a candle can do a lot.” Charlotte Knobloch, the president of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, spoke of “dark times that require the lights to be lit.” And looking at the many people on the square, she said: “We are not alone here, that gives hope.” State Parliament Vice President Tobias Reiß (CSU) made a similar statement: “We show that we belong together. No matter how dark it is: the light must not go out.”
Rabbi Israel Diskin in front of the main synagogue Ohel Jakob.
(Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa)
The eight-day Jewish festival of lights, Hanukkah, begins on Thursday. Mayor Dieter Reiter lit the first light. In the picture on the left is Charlotte Knobloch, President of the Jewish Community of Munich and Upper Bavaria.
(Photo: Stephan Rumpf)
Talya Lador-Fresher, Israel’s consul general for southern Germany, recalled the origin of the Hanukkah festival, the triumph of the Maccabees over the then-ruling Seleucids almost 2,200 years ago, and invoked the will to “live in Jewish autonomy.” Timothy Liston, the US Consul General who was also present, emphasized: “Rarely has the world longed so much for light and warmth.”