An additional candle is lit each night thereafter, culminating with eight on the last night, which falls on the 15th of December.
The holiday of Chanukah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, in 164 BCE, after its desecration by King Antiochus of the ruling Seleucid (Syrian-Greek) Kingdom; the re-establishment of religious freedom for the Jewish people after a period of harsh repression; and the supremacy of Jewish tradition over assimilationist Hellenism.
Two Divine miracles in particular are remembered on Chanukah: the burning of a lone flask of kosher oil for eight full days in the Temple, and the victory of the "few against the many" in the Maccabee clan’s revolt against the massive trained army of the Syrian-Greeks.
Last year, 92% of Israelis polled said they planned on lighting Chanukah candles, according to the Gesher organization, which works on behalf of religious-secular dialogue and understanding.
The world’s largest menorah is set to be illuminated tonight, the first night of Chanukah. The menorah stands at the entrance to Jerusalem and its lighting will be accompanied by festive pyrotechnics.
The giant menorah is 69 feet wide, and has nine branches, each standing 66 feet tall. It is made of 1800 light bulbs, each of them 500 watts strong, and weighing 50 tons in total. The menorah produces more light than all the lights along the highway from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv combined.
The giant menorah was the idea of Dudy Zilberslag, chairman of "Meir Panim", a volunteer organization that provides food for the needy. Zilberslag said he hoped that the menorah would bring a smile to Jerusalem and to it's people.
The mayor of Jerusalem, Uri Lupolianski, said he hopes the menorah will welcome and bring light and holiday joy to the people of Jerusalem and all the Jewish people, worldwide. According to Lupolianski, the menorah will be a catalyst to increase the number of visitors to Jerusalem, who will participate in the dozens of holiday activities organized by Jerusalem’s municipality and cultural institutes.
The menorah will be officially entered in the “Guinness Book of World Records” as the largest menorah in the world.
Many sights and roads throughout Jerusalem will also be lit in the capital city as a "Route of Light." Light and electric elements will line the streets from the entrance to Jerusalem, through Ben-Zvi Boulevard, up Bezalel street and along Emek Refaim and Agron street as well.
On Wednesday, December 8th, the first day of Chanukah, the “Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement” will be traveling from Jerusalem to Modi’in, the city of the Maccabees, and back to Jerusalem to ascend the Temple Mount. Free buses will leave from Jerusalem’s Binyanei HaUma, across from Jerusalem’s Central Bus Station at 9 AM.
On Thursday, December 9th, the second day of Chanukah, the largest ever “convoy of light” will link Sa-Nur, in the northern Shomron to Gan-Or, in Gush Katif via a string of cars and buses stretching across Israel. The convoy is departing at 10 AM From Sa-Nur and 10:30 from Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium to reach a planned rally in Gan-Or at 3:30 PM.
On Friday, December 10th, the third day of Chanukah, a rally will take place on behalf of Jonathan Pollard, a Jewish-American who has been imprisoned in America for 19 years for providing Israel with classified information regarding Iraq’s nuclear program. The rally will take place at 11:30 AM opposite the American Embassy in Tel-Aviv (71 HaYarkon Street).
Saturday night, December 11th, the fifth night of Chanukah, there will be an organized visit to the Shalom Al Israel (“Peace Unto Israel”) Synagogue in Jericho, an ancient synagogue that was burned and looted several times since the outset of the Oslo War. For more information call 052 869 9300.
On Sunday, December 12th, the fifth day of Chanukah, a day-long solidarity trip to the communities in the northern Shomron slated for expulsion is planned. The trip, which will go from 8:30 AM until 6 PM, will depart from Jerusalem’s Inbal Hotel. For more information contact: michael@womeningreen.org .
Also Sunday, the traditional monthly encirclement of Jerusalem’s Old City gates will take place in honor of Rosh Chodesh Tevet, the arrival of the month of the Jewish month of Tevet. The march, hailed as “Following the Footsteps of Yehudah HaMaccabee,” will set out at 5 PM from the Western Wall Plaza.
The holiday of Chanukah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, in 164 BCE, after its desecration by King Antiochus of the ruling Seleucid (Syrian-Greek) Kingdom; the re-establishment of religious freedom for the Jewish people after a period of harsh repression; and the supremacy of Jewish tradition over assimilationist Hellenism.
Two Divine miracles in particular are remembered on Chanukah: the burning of a lone flask of kosher oil for eight full days in the Temple, and the victory of the "few against the many" in the Maccabee clan’s revolt against the massive trained army of the Syrian-Greeks.
Last year, 92% of Israelis polled said they planned on lighting Chanukah candles, according to the Gesher organization, which works on behalf of religious-secular dialogue and understanding.
The world’s largest menorah is set to be illuminated tonight, the first night of Chanukah. The menorah stands at the entrance to Jerusalem and its lighting will be accompanied by festive pyrotechnics.
The giant menorah is 69 feet wide, and has nine branches, each standing 66 feet tall. It is made of 1800 light bulbs, each of them 500 watts strong, and weighing 50 tons in total. The menorah produces more light than all the lights along the highway from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv combined.
The giant menorah was the idea of Dudy Zilberslag, chairman of "Meir Panim", a volunteer organization that provides food for the needy. Zilberslag said he hoped that the menorah would bring a smile to Jerusalem and to it's people.
The mayor of Jerusalem, Uri Lupolianski, said he hopes the menorah will welcome and bring light and holiday joy to the people of Jerusalem and all the Jewish people, worldwide. According to Lupolianski, the menorah will be a catalyst to increase the number of visitors to Jerusalem, who will participate in the dozens of holiday activities organized by Jerusalem’s municipality and cultural institutes.
The menorah will be officially entered in the “Guinness Book of World Records” as the largest menorah in the world.
Many sights and roads throughout Jerusalem will also be lit in the capital city as a "Route of Light." Light and electric elements will line the streets from the entrance to Jerusalem, through Ben-Zvi Boulevard, up Bezalel street and along Emek Refaim and Agron street as well.
On Wednesday, December 8th, the first day of Chanukah, the “Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement” will be traveling from Jerusalem to Modi’in, the city of the Maccabees, and back to Jerusalem to ascend the Temple Mount. Free buses will leave from Jerusalem’s Binyanei HaUma, across from Jerusalem’s Central Bus Station at 9 AM.
On Thursday, December 9th, the second day of Chanukah, the largest ever “convoy of light” will link Sa-Nur, in the northern Shomron to Gan-Or, in Gush Katif via a string of cars and buses stretching across Israel. The convoy is departing at 10 AM From Sa-Nur and 10:30 from Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium to reach a planned rally in Gan-Or at 3:30 PM.
On Friday, December 10th, the third day of Chanukah, a rally will take place on behalf of Jonathan Pollard, a Jewish-American who has been imprisoned in America for 19 years for providing Israel with classified information regarding Iraq’s nuclear program. The rally will take place at 11:30 AM opposite the American Embassy in Tel-Aviv (71 HaYarkon Street).
Saturday night, December 11th, the fifth night of Chanukah, there will be an organized visit to the Shalom Al Israel (“Peace Unto Israel”) Synagogue in Jericho, an ancient synagogue that was burned and looted several times since the outset of the Oslo War. For more information call 052 869 9300.
On Sunday, December 12th, the fifth day of Chanukah, a day-long solidarity trip to the communities in the northern Shomron slated for expulsion is planned. The trip, which will go from 8:30 AM until 6 PM, will depart from Jerusalem’s Inbal Hotel. For more information contact: michael@womeningreen.org .
Also Sunday, the traditional monthly encirclement of Jerusalem’s Old City gates will take place in honor of Rosh Chodesh Tevet, the arrival of the month of the Jewish month of Tevet. The march, hailed as “Following the Footsteps of Yehudah HaMaccabee,” will set out at 5 PM from the Western Wall Plaza.