All light on the night!
Communal and religious leaders have said this Tuesday’s tenth Chanukah in the Square is expected to bring more than 5,000 people together in the heart of London.
The annual gathering of Chanukah in the Square, for which Jewish News is once again media sponsors, celebrates the Festival of Lights with the communal lighting of a giant menorah in Trafalgar Square.
It remains lit for eight days, with one light being lit each day during the festival.
Last year the event was shelved because the dates fell over Christmas, when a large Christmas tree is traditionally erected in the iconic square.
Reflecting on its return for 2017, Jewish Leadership Council chief executive Simon Johnson said Chanukah in the Square was “one of the best Jewish events of the year” as it “allows people from all backgrounds to enjoy Jewish culture”.
The JLC is one of several organisations supporting the event, others being Chabad Lubavitch UK, the Mayor of London’s Office and the London Jewish Forum.
Rabbi Bentzi Sudak, chief exec of Chabad UK this week said: “In its tenth anniversary, the Menorah in Trafalgar Square and the celebrations surrounding it, continue to be a beacon of light over London.
“They bear the message of Chanukah, that in the metaphorical struggle of light over darkness, we have to focus on proudly adding our bit of light and the rest will follow.
“This year marks the 40th anniversary of the world’s first public menorah at City Hall in Philadelphia. Since then there are thousands of the public menorahs projecting Chanukah’s message.”
Johnson said this year’s event follows hot on the heels of “inspiring” initiatives including the Chief Rabbi’s Shabbat UK, the ever-popular Mitzvah Day and this year’s events surrounding the centenary of the Balfour Declaration. “Balfour 100 was the most co-operative and comprehensive community endeavour I have experienced,” said Johnson, who chaired the organising committee, adding that Chanukah was “the most joyful of Jewish festivals… It is a credit to our city that we are able to celebrate in this way”.
Security, provided in large part by CST volunteers, is expected to be tight and Johnson paid tribute to those making it possible, saying that such a public celebration would not be possible in many European countries due to security concerns.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
