In Jerusalem, Hanukkah lights in the darkness

Hanukkah was over Friday night at sunset.

In Jerusalem, sirens sounded over the Jerusalem streets at 5:01 pm, as Shabbat services were to begin. People had to seek shelter. A stark reminder that the rockets from Gaza could still be headed to Jerusalem, Israel, not just along the Gaza border or the border in the north.

These large flags are displayed all over the roads, a reminder that we are at war.

These silent construction projects are a reminder of the Arab workers, who are not working.

But the clean-up crews from the Jerusalem municipality keep going strong to collect the trash.

On Hanukkah Cinema City was a popular family recreation site.

The OU Hanukkah event for Olim filled the Nefesh BeNefesh hall with young families.

A shortcut through the Supreme Court to the Knesset was not a good idea.

The gate to the path through the Rose Garden was locked.

Who knows if and when the Rose Garden will reopen again?

Or when the protest tent with the families of the hostages will close?

The National Library of Israel is gaining popularity and more readers are in the reading room.

The circulation desk is open and appears to be responsive.

A small coffee shop also is now open for people to drink and eat, and sit and talk.

These chairs and books are ready and waiting for the hostages to finally return home from captivity.

The Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for Archaeology of Israel is across the street from the National Library and the Israel Museum and is next to the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem, all near the Knesset.

It was open briefly to the public for two hours on Hanukkah. The entrance might appear modest.

Tours begin with the mosaic on the floor as you enter the building site.

But the outside appearance does deceive. It goes down 8 stories! I have waited to see what has been accomplished since my first visit in 2016!

The spaces were designed to be open to see the work being done.

The library had been a shell, with bare cement walls, but is now very impressive.

Multiple labs are open and appear to be operating.

This year was not a perfect festive eight days of Hanukkah.

The first night lighting the first candle on the Jerusalem streets,

and other nights I missed doing the usual big tours and crowds.

However, I noticed the lemons were turning yellow against the blue sky,

and the new winter grass is bright green.

While the clouds at night have been mostly pink.

A simpler eight days of Hanukkah 5784 have passed.

The colorful candles of Hanukkah have burned down and are put away for this year.

However, we continue to believe good must triumph over evil.

Hanukkah: See the Lights

Lining the Jerusalem streets on חנוכה. no matter how you spell it, are the Hanukka or Chanukah lights, as we shared last week,

This week’s post is again about lights, the Hanukiot, or Chanukah menorahs as we called the 8-branch candelabras in the United States, whether for candles or olive oil.

There is an electric hanukiah outside Beit Hanasi, the Israeli President’s Residence, again this year.

Off Jerusalem hotel lobbies, there are hanukiot, ornate silver ones, and smaller ones for guests to light each night of Chanuka.

The Begin Center lobby also had a large hanukiah, with sufganiyot, donuts, nearby ready for the second night of Hanuka.

The Jerusalem Cinema City had a large Chabad menorah lit for the fifth night, it seems hundreds of their hanukiot fill the Jerusalem street corners.

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The large one in Mamilla Mall is back with music and a special lighting ceremony each night. I hope to get there for the eighth-night celebrations.

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If you eat in a Jerusalem restaurant, your meal may be delivered to the table only after the candles are lit, and restaurant patrons join in singing along with the staff who light the hanukiah.

But this year I was also in Tel Aviv and saw other hanukiot.

On the bus to the new ANU Museum of the Jewish People, I was impressed by this large billboard with a colorful menorah, selling toothpaste.

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In the museum, were many hanukiot with interesting designs and stories.

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The Statute of Liberty branches has an eagle on top.

Also, an eagle is on top of this 18th-century brass menorah originally in the Great Synagogue on Tlomackie Street, in Warsaw, Poland. The Polish symbol of the eagle was often placed on Judaica as a sign of gratitude and allegiance to the regime of the time.

In 1939, the rabbi and secretary of the synagogue buried the two hanukiot in a secret hiding place. After, they offered to sell the synagogue valuables to raise money for Polish citizens to be saved from the Nazis. Marguerite Wenner Gren of Stockholm bought the menorah for a large sum of money and later donated it to the state of Israel.

The synagogue built in 1878, was destroyed by the Nazis in 1943.

In the Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, there is a replica of Shimon Peres’ office, in the display case along with the Nobel Peace Prize medal and soccer ball stands a silver hanukiah.

Being honored to light the Chanuka candles on the second night was a special moment for a Ukrainian mother and her son who found refuge in Israel.

Chabad was at the i24News studio on the fourth night to light the flames with Nitzan Chen, the head of the Government Press Office.

Chabad had more donuts and hanukiot to give away to those of us on the tour who wanted.

Besides the hanukiot and lights, sufganiyot have been seen in abundance – almost everywhere.

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In the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the dessert display was hard to resist.

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It was a full and busy week, with highlights I plan to share in the future.

However, finally, I made it home for candle lighting before Shabbat.

The lights shine out to the Jerusalem streets to share the miracle of Chanuka.

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Again this year in Jerusalem, my mother lit the large silver menorah that my father bought many years ago. Yesterday, their neighbor in Virginia mentioned to me how he remembers the light from their menorah lit in the window when they lived across the street – almost 20 years ago.

Happy Hanukkah! חנוכה שמח

May the Hanukkah lights shine brightly.

Near and far, no matter where you are, Chanukah Sameach, Chag Urim Sameach from Jerusalem, Israel. May you see the lights, and have a great year in good health.

Holiday Lights and Nights in Jerusalem

חנוכה –

Hanukkah or Chanukah is also known as the “Holiday of Lights.”

And for the winter holiday season, Jerusalem, Israel fills with lights!

The Jerusalem Botanical Gardens “Winter Lights” Festival is back again.

The colored lights at night are reflected in the pond.

I came back, again and again, to stop and watch as they changed colors.

Brilliant in purple, it was hard to stop taking photos and set out on the trail.

The display is the work of light artist Gil Teichman and his staff, who hung over 2 million small bulbs along a one-kilometer area of the garden using about 25 kilometers of cable.

The LED bulbs used are ecologically-friendly and save electricity.

Background music by the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra is heard at multiple locations as you stroll along the garden path.

Actors dressed in illuminated costumes are also there to entertain.

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I admit a favorite this year is the large chanukiah, the Hanukkah menorah, reflecting in the water.

But there are many more lights along the Jerusalem streets.

These new light installations have been posted on poles.

This one with three dreidels, on the top right.

This one has a snowflake and colorful shapes.

Chanukah Lights on poles for Hanuka

These were the older ones at night.

These are from two years ago, I have not found them up now.

The lights at the YMCA are back on again each night, as are many new ones inside New Gate. So much to do this week, will I have time to get there?

One man praying at Western Wall on Hanuka

The large hanukiah is back and ready at the Kotel, Western Wall, to be lit by various officials each night of Hanuka, from Sunday night, December 18 – December 25, 2022. Watch live HERE

Happy Hanukkah from the Jerusalem streets, may the lights spread far and wide for a good week and good year for all.

A video of light projections with Hanuka music to add to the holiday mood.

חנונה שמח