Lighting the first candle at the Kotel (Photo: The Western Wall Heritage Foundation)
In the sign of “Weshem Toda Nazvah”: tonight (Sunday), the lighting of the first candle of Hanukkah took place on the Western Wall plaza, in the presence of Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the Mayor of Jerusalem, Mr. Moshe Leon, MK Mai Golan, CEO The Foundation for the Heritage of the Western Wall Mordechai (Soli) Eliav and Kehal Rahav.
Rabbi Rabinowitz said at the ceremony: “Those who make the way to the modest square at the foot of the ancient stones and join the multitudes who visit the Western Wall every day – see the Western Wall that continues to be a place of connection and unity. A place where prayers of all kinds are offered side by side. Traditional prayers and prayers that emanate from the depths of the heart. Everyone is drawn to the Western Wall, and to the light that emanates from it for the people and the entire world. This year, too, we will light the menorah every night in the Western Wall plaza. Together, rabbis and leaders and people from the settlement, the people of the land and the people of the diaspora, will stand and be blessed by the light of the candles, the light of the Western Wall, A light of unity and humility, a light of belonging and brotherhood, which will continue to shine for all humanity forever.”
The Mayor of Jerusalem, Moshe Leon: “It is a great privilege for me to light the first candle of Hanukkah, here at the Western Wall, the remnant of our temple, in the place where the miracle was done, in Jerusalem, the capital of free and independent Israel, and to bless – with great joy and with a whole heart: “that we have lived and lived and reached this time” The holiday of Hanukkah is a holiday of light, a holiday of miracles, a holiday of heroism. However, the heroism of Hanukkah is not only the heroism of soldiers, physical heroism. The heroism of the Hasmoneans is the heroism of the medics of the Beit Midrash, who decided to fight for the right to live on the road and to return the crown of the Kingdom of Israel to its old age.”
It should be noted that the candle lighting ceremony will be held every evening of Hanukkah at 16:30 in the Hako Square. (Except – Friday 29 in Kislo at 3:30 p.m. and Saturday night in Kislo at 7:30 p.m.)