Last Sunday, the first light of the ten-meter-high Hanukkiah was lit at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. At the solemn ceremony at the beginning of the eight-day Hanukkah festival, Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, chairman of Chabad Berlin and municipal rabbi of the Jewish Community in Berlin, welcomed the President of the Bundestag Bärbel Bas, Bundestag Vice-President Claudia Roth, Federal Minister of Justice Christine Lambrecht, Israel’s Ambassador Jeremy Issacharoff and an actress, Iris Berbenaroff Speech held. Yehuda Teichtal emphasized that the lighting of the lights at the Brandenburg Gate has been taking place for 16 years. This time too, the corona pandemic is a major challenge.
In addition, the Jewish community faces an additional challenge: growing anti-Semitism in society. “But the message of Hanukkah is that we will not let these difficulties get us down.” According to Rabbi Teichtal, the Jewish people have seen many challenges for generations. But Hanukkah shows: “Light is stronger than darkness.”
BUNDESTAG PRESIDENT Bundestag President Bas said she was very happy to be able to celebrate the Festival of Lights in public in Berlin. That is not a matter of course. “Because in the 1700 years of Jewish-German history there have always been ruptures. Outbreaks of anti-Semitic hatred, defamation and disenfranchisement. «And even today Jews are exposed to threats and anti-Semitism.
Bas called for hostility and prejudice to be resolutely countered. “We have to do more against anti-Semitism, racism and misanthropy in our country.”
On the third night of Hanukkah, the annual International Holocaust Survivors Night took place on Tuesday evening – online.
In addition to the candlestick at the Brandenburg Gate, the Chabad Lubawitsch Jewish Education Center has set up a total of 34 Hanukkah candlesticks in public places in Berlin, including in front of the Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection. Numerous light-lighting ceremonies were planned, including at the Mall of Berlin, at Schöneberg Town Hall and at the CDU federal headquarters. On Monday evening, Chabad Lubavitch called for a Hanukkah car parade through Berlin.
PREMIERE November 28, 2021 – 25th Kislew 5782, first day Hanukkah – will probably go down in the history of Baden-Württemberg: For the first time, the first light of a Hanukkah chandelier was lit in a German state parliament. This means that the country is once again at the forefront of the Federal Republic. Because in Stuttgart not only the first anti-Semitism commissioner of a federal state as well as two police rabbis were appointed, but also the first Hanukkah light was lit in the foyer of the state parliament by state rabbi Moshe Flomenmann and Chabad rabbi Shneur Trebnik.
“Wow, what a historic day,” Shneur Trebnik commented on the event. And then the Ulm local rabbi thanked Muhterem Aras and Manuel Hagel. “It was her wish to make Jewish life in Germany more visible,” said Trebnik to the President of the Baden-Württemberg state parliament and the member of the CDU parliamentary group. He wished “every city in Germany” to have a Hanukkah.
Trebnik gave Muhterem Aras and those present a white scarf with the coat of arms of Baden-Württemberg and the inscription: Happy Hanukkah. “Post the scarf on social media,” the rabbi urged the recipients. Aras said: “Our state parliament in its very, very large majority is behind you. They should not and do not have to hide Jewish rituals. «Every anti-Semitic attack is an attack on society as a whole, the state parliament president referred to two attacks on the Ulm synagogue in 2017 and 2021. Trebnik, more than 20 years ago as a Chabad-Shaliach Israel came to Germany and said: “It was and is not easy, but with God’s help a lot is possible.”
APPLES Michael Kashi brought greetings to the state parliament from the Israelite Religious Community of Württemberg (IRGW). He recalled the history of Hanukkah and that it was a happy, light-filled festival at which the children were “even allowed to eat french fries.” “And if someone asks you why the Hanukkah chandelier is burning, you say that it shows how long people have been eating latkes and fries in Germany,” Kashi said with a smile to the group of representatives of religions and politics, “Youth for Europe «And other youth organizations as well as the Israeli Consulate General. The member of the representative office of the IRGW alluded to 1700 years of Jewish life in Germany.
Liat Morein told those invited how much Hanukkah is a family festival. “Hanukkah has always been my favorite festival and it still is today, it brings light into the dark season,” says the 16-year-old. There is also a lot to eat.
“And when there is a family visit, there are also presents for eight days,” said Liat Morein, again causing a smile. But Hanukkah is also a festival of responsibility, according to the student at the Eberhard-Ludwigs-Gymnasium in Stuttgart. Even in daycare, the children would have dedicated the respective light to something special when the lights were switched on. “For today’s first light I would like to dedicate it to peace, peace for the land of Israel and peace for the whole world,” said Liat Morein.
For the first time there is a Chanukkia in the Stuttgart state parliament – next to the Christmas tree.
To have a Hanukkah candlestick for the first time in the state parliament, which has a place in the foyer of the plenary hall next to the Christmas tree, is for Muhterem Aras “a contribution to diversity”, religion and its practice “an integral part of the constitution”. According to the President of the State Parliament, people have to widen their view of Jewish life. “This wealth must be promoted and become part of our everyday life,” emphasized Aras, which received a lot of applause. It is certainly also a wealth that this year there are not only two Hanukkah candlesticks in Stuttgart, but also some in Esslingen, Heilbronn, Ulm and cities in Baden.
CAMPAIGN A further view through the glass front of the state parliament on the Schlossplatz – the heart of Stuttgart – shows a ferris wheel with the inscription »The Länd«. The new umbrella brand campaign aims to reposition Baden-Württemberg – previously known more as “Ländle” – nationally and internationally. “The Länd” stands for a location for technology and innovation in Germany and Europe, said Winfried Kretschmann at the presentation a few weeks ago.
According to the Prime Minister, Baden-Württemberg is in strong competition for the best minds in the global economy. “The Länd” wants to bring skilled workers from all over the world to Baden-Württemberg. That doesn’t leave Jews in Baden-Württemberg indifferent either. As a result, the official wishes of the IRGW took up the campaign with “Happy Hanukkah everywhere in› The Länd ‹.” That caused some ridicule, but also encouragement.
“We are also› The Länd ‹it was called within the community,” explains Lars Neuberger, executive officer of the IRGW. “Everyone is talking about the campaign, we like our Prime Minister,” confirms Susanne Jakubowski, member of the IRGW representative office. And so the designers of the greeting card Stuttgart architectural symbols such as the television tower, the opera, the burial chapel on the Württemberg, the Daimler Museum and the Hanukkah chandelier harmoniously combined.
SCHLOSSPLATZ Never before had so many people, including families with children, come together for the official lighting of the lights on the lavishly decorated palace square in front of the New Palace. And while the Ferris wheel was turning tirelessly, Mayor Isabel Fezer lit the first light on the Hanukkah candlestick. “Schlossplatz is also a Jewish place, just like the whole city is Jewish,” explained Fezer, and thanked them for celebrating Hanukkah together. Marion Gentges brought congratulations from the Prime Minister.
And while the church bells of the nearby collegiate church were ringing, the minister said: “The light shines against fears and uncertainties in the pandemic, it wants to give courage and confidence to stand up together against exclusion, racism and anti-Semitism.”
The Krefeld Penguins celebrated the beginning of the Hanukkah festival together with the Jewish Community of Krefeld during the ice hockey home game.
Yehuda Pushkin, meanwhile, told about the sources of the festival. “The miracle of Hanukkah is there to remember other miracles,” said the local rabbi of the IRGW. God reveals himself most through history, said the rabbi. “I think we are at a turning point in history.” Everyone is called to recognize miracles in their lives.
KREFELD “That was a very emotional event and a great experience,” says Martin Huyn in an interview with the Jüdischen Allgemeine. The former ice hockey player is the founder and head of the “Hockey is Diversity” network. Together with the Krefeld Penguins and the Jewish Community of Krefeld, the initiative celebrated the beginning of the Hanukkah festival during the home game in the Yayla Arena last Sunday against the Düsseldorfer EG. Rabbi Yitzhak Mendel Wagner spoke the Hanukkah blessing and lit the first light.
Community chairman Samuel Naydych and his deputy Alexander Konev were also there. “It was important to us to bring Hanukkia right into the heart of the city,” says Martin Huyn. The 5,109 fans would have welcomed the lighting of the lights and applauded.
“It was important to us, in the year in which 1700 years of Jewish life is celebrated in Germany, to celebrate Jewish visibility on Hanukkah,” says Huyn. “With this campaign, it is important for us to create interpersonal encounters that might not be possible in everyday life.” The attack on the synagogue in Halle and rising anti-Semitism are worrying and show that some have not learned from history. “My generation and the following generations are responsible for ensuring that something like this does not happen again.” (at)
AJC Instead of a personal get-together with sufganiot and talks, the American Jewish Committee is also planning to light candles online. To shed some light on this turbulent year, the AJC also invited Laura Shaw Frank, the director of the William Petschek Contemporary Jewish Life, on Wednesday evening. And because maybe nothing is more boring than dark tiles in the virtual room, the motto was: turn on the camera and show the candles. (kat)
SURVIVORS-NIGHT On the third night of Hanukkah, the annual International Holocaust Survivors Night took place on Tuesday evening – online. This year, too, the Holocaust survivors were honored worldwide. The event, initiated by the Jewish Claims Conference, included memories from survivors from more than 15 countries as well as greetings from Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Federal Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, Federal Minister of Justice Christine Lambrecht, the President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, the Holocaust survivors Charlotte Knobloch, Serge Klarsfeld and others as well as contributions from musicians and entertainers. The event ended with a broadcast of the candle lighting at the Kotel in Jerusalem. (took)
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