The Western Wall Heritage Foundation will hold public candle-lighting ceremonies every evening during the eight-day holiday of Chanukah, which this year begins on the night of Dec. 25.
The Chanukah events at Judaism’s second-holiest site—held under the slogan, “For the miracles, the mighty deeds and the wars,” in reference to the traditional Al HaNissim prayer—will be held with the participation of rabbis, ambassadors, families of hostages held by Hamas, bereaved families, wounded Israel Defense Forces soldiers and others.
On Sunday morning, the traditional Chanukah menorah was placed at the Western Wall Plaza ahead of the holiday. The chanukiyah, made entirely of cast bronze, is more than 2 meters tall and 2 meters wide (6.5 feet x 6.5 feet), weighs some 2,000 pounds and took seven months to create.
This year’s ceremonies will be broadcast live at 4.30 p.m. local time—except for Friday and Saturday—through the Western Wall Heritage Foundation website, allowing the entire Jewish nation to join from their homes, IDF bases and hospital rehabilitation wards and “share in the uplifting and inspiring atmosphere of the Western Wall,” the NGO said.
Chanukah commemorates the story of the Maccabees, the Jewish heroes who led the revolt against the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire that culminated in a military victory and the rededication of the Jewish Temple on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount approximately 2,200 years ago.