A special ceremony was held outside the Town Hall to mark the Jewish Festival of Lights Hanukkah.
A 10ft menorah was installed outside Mulberry Place yesterday (15 December) which was kindly provided by the Greenwich & Docklands Chabad Jewish Community Centre.
Due to social distancing rules residents were not able to join in the event but it was live streamed on Facebook so people could watch.
Rabbi Ephraim Carlebach, co-director of Greenwich & Docklands Chabad Jewish Community Centre was thrilled that Mayor John Biggs had agreed to mark Hanukkah with the impressive installation which will be on site till 21 December.
President of the Nelson Street Synagogue, Leon Silver was given the honours to say traditional prayers in front of a small audience including; Rose Edmonds from Sandys Row Synagogue, Cllr Peter Golds, Adrian Cohen from The London Jewish Forum and representing Canary Wharf business Clifford Chance, Mayor Biggs and Reverend Alan Green on behalf of the Tower Hamlets Interfaith Forum.
Mayor Biggs said: I’d like to wish a happy Hanukkah to all those celebrating this Jewish festival which marks light triumphing over darkness and freedom from religious oppression.
I know celebrating this year will be different as we must adhere to the Covid restrictions in place to keep us all safe. I am very grateful to Rabbi Carlebach for providing this menorah to the people of Tower Hamlets during Hanukkah.”
Rabbi Carlebach added: “It is an honour and privilege to join with faith leaders and different synagogues to unite and celebrate Hanukkah to bring some light throughout the darkness in the world at the moment.”
You can watch the event at the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/Chabadgrd/videos/426387608546656/
The ceremony itself starts at two minutes and 30 seconds into the recording.
Posted on Wednesday 16th December 2020