For the last 2,100 years, Jewish people have commemorated the eight days of Chanukah by lighting the menorah.
The “Festival of Lights” commemorates the unlikely victory of the militarily weak but spiritually strong Jewish people over the powerful Seleucid Empire at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt in the second century BC.
The victory culminated in the recovery of Jerusalem and the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and the rekindling of its golden menorah. The Hebrew word Chanukah means “dedication”, and is named as such because of the rededication of the Holy Temple.
As the tradition goes, Jews found only a single cruse of olive oil to light the candle for one day, but it miraculously burned for eight days and nights.
Today, Jewish communities around the world continue to celebrate Chanukah both in individual ways, and also through the construction and lighting of large, public menorahs. It is estimated that there are 15,000 public menorahs across the world, from St Lucia, to New Zealand, to the United Arab Emirates.
Here is a small selection of some of the public menorahs from around the world.
Berlin, Germany
Considered to be one of Europe’s largest, this menorah now stands in front of the Brandenburg gate, where once Hitler and the Nazis marched. It was lit on December 18 in front of city authorities and the Israeli ambassador (Credit: Cahad.org)
ABOVE: The Brandenburg Gate of the Nazi era and today
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lights the first candle on a menorah to celebrate Chanukah with the Jewish community at the Heinz Galinski School in Berlin, December 19, 2022 (Credit: JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP via Getty Images)
Washington D.C., USA
In a tradition that was started by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, the National Menorah lighting ceremony took place on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. Attorney General Merrick Garland said: “As a descendant of those who fled persecution because they were Jewish, it is especially meaningful to be here tonight as you light this menorah in our nation's capital and under the protection of its laws.” (Credit: American Friends of Lubavitch (Chabad))
American football team the Washington Commanders lit this football-inspired Menorah in their home stadium. Chabad said: “With eighty thousand fans watching from the stands and upwards of eighteen million tuning in from home, the prime-time game’s first public menorah lighting spreads Hanukkah’s light at a time when popular culture reels from antisemitism.” (Credit: Chabad.org)
New York City, USA
A public menorah has been lit annually since 1977 in New York City’s Grand Army Plaza. This year’s 36-foot menorah, thought to be the largest in the world, was designed by Israeli artist Yaacov Agam (Credit: Chabad)
Minnesota, USA
Public menorah in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA (Credit: Chabad)
Arizona, USA
Public menorah lighting ceremony in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, USA (Credit: Chabad)
Vancouver, Canada
London, UK, and Kyiv, Ukraine
A large public menorah on display in Trafalgar Square, London (Credit: Chabad)
This year’s menorah in Trafalgar Square has been twinned with the menorah in Kyiv’s Maidan Independence Square.
Ukrainian Jewish leaders say this menorah, constructed in Kyiv’s Maidan Independence Square, is Europe’s tallest. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko was joined by ambassadors from multiple countries for its lighting over the weekend. (Credit: Chabad)
Manchester, UK
Chernivtsi, south-western Ukraine
Lighting of a tall menorah in the west Ukrainian city of Chernivtsi (Credit: Chabad)
Auckland, New Zealand
Public menorah in Auckland, New Zealand (Credit: Chabad)
Sydney, Australia
Public lighting of a menorah in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney, Australia (Credit: Chabad)
Newcastle, Australia
Public menorah in a park in Newcastle, Australia (Credit: Chabad)
Kigali City, Rwanda
Public lighting ceremony of a menorah in Kigali City, Rwanda (Credit: Chabad)
