Mayor Lion lights candles at the Western Wall Plaza
Mayor Lion lights candles at the Western Wall PlazaThe Western Wall Heritage Foundation

Candle lighting for the first night of Hanukkah took place Sunday evening in the presence of the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz; the mayor of Jerusalem, Mr. Moshe Lion, MK May Golan (Likud), Director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation Mordechai (Suli) Eliav and the general public.

Rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz said at Sunday evening's ceremony: “Whoever makes their way to the modest plaza at the foot of the ancient stones and joins the tens of thousands who come to the Western Wall every day, sees that the Western Wall continues to be a place of connection and unity."

"They see a place where prayers of every kind are recited alongside each other. They see traditional prayers and those that spontaneously erupt from the heart. Everyone is attracted to the Western Wall and to the light that shines from it onto the nation and out to the entire world. This year again, we will light the menorah at the Western Wall Plaza every night of Hanukkah."

"Rabbis and leaders, the public, people from Israel and from the Diaspora will stand together and be blessed by the light of the candles, the light of the Western Wall, the light of unity and humility, the light of belonging and solidarity which will continue to illuminate humanity for all of eternity.”

Mayor of Jerusalem, Mr. Moshe Lion: “It is a huge privilege for me to light the first Hanukkah candle here at the Western Wall, the remnant of our Temple, where the miracle happened, in Jerusalem, the capital of a free and independent Israel, and to bless – with great joy and wholeheartedly – ‘Who has granted us life, and sustained us, and brought us to this time.’"

"Hanukkah is a festival of light, a festival of miracles, a festival of bravery. But the bravery of Hanukkah is not that of soldiers or of physical courage. The bravery of the Hasmoneans is of learners in a beit midrash [study hall] who decided to fight for the privilege of living and returning the glory of Israel’s monarchy.”