Hundreds took part in the joint Hanukkah candle lighting of the EMIH – Hungarian Jewish Association in Debrecen. On December 5, at the intersection of Bajcsy-Zsilinszky utca and Piac utca, Chief Rabbi Faigen Sámuel of Debrecen and Faigen Riki rebbec awaited those interested. As in previous years, the EMIH – Hungarian Jewish Association lit lights in 2021 locations in Budapest and the countryside on the Hanukkahs set up in the open air.
At the event in Debrecen, Slomó Köves, the leading rabbi of the EMIH, drew parallels between the history of Hanukkah and the difficulties of the past two years.
“The story of Hanukkah teaches us to recognize that a period full of difficulty and problem is only there to recognize that we can get out of one such ordeal.”
– he said.
Dr. István Puskás, Deputy Mayor of Debrecen, Tamás Horovitz, President of the Jewish Community of Debrecen and Chief Rabbi of Debrecen Faigen, who lit the candles of Hanukkah together with members of the Debrecen community, also gave a keynote speech at the event.
After lighting the candles, the celebration of light continued with a DJ a dancing party.
This year, from November 28 to December 6, the Jews celebrated Hanukkah. Judaism at this time commemorates the victory over the Syrian-Greek occupiers in 165 B.C. when the Maccabean freedom fighters recaptured the sanctuary in Jerusalem. In the temple, enough kosher oil was found for just 1 day — to ignite the holy flame — but then a miracle happened: the oil enough for one day burned for eight days. To commemorate this, from the first day of the feast, Jewish families light one candle every night and place Hanukkah in a place where they can proclaim the divine miracle.
– EMIH communication –
Photo: János Miskolczi
