ByJonathan Kalmus, Jonathan Kalmus
Manchester's Jewish community will be represented at the city centre Manchester Day Parade with a giant chanuciah after missing out on the inaugural parade last year.
Jewish Representative Council president Lucille Cohen complained that Manchester Jews would be forgotten if they did not take part in the carnival
event which attracted 50,000 people last June.
This year the Rep Council has commissioned Jewish artist Brian Raymond to aid youngsters from special needs school Langdon College, youth group JLGB and Whitefield Jewish Youth Centre, with an enormous float of candles.
Jeremy Michelson, who is chairing the council's parade committee, said: "There are other minorities that are bigger in number than the Jewish community and we are being forgotten. That's partly our own fault, but we have got to remind people what Jews have contributed to Manchester, and still do."
Mr Raymond said: "It was a bold move by the Rep Council to get our bid accepted to the parade. The chanuciah will be made of four-metre tall banners. I've made eight-metre static banners before for a community diversity project. The idea is to celebrate Manchester Jewry by something easy for people to identify with it."
The parade takes place on June 19, with 1,600 people from 80 community groups, including representatives from Irish, Egyptian and Chinese communities. On Sunday June 12 there will be a free family arts workshop where the community is invited to help make giant dreidles for the parade.