Jews in Ukraine are waging a ‘war between darkness and light’ during Hanukkah, rabbi says | 24CA News
Jews in Ukraine waging a “war between darkness and light” lit an enormous menorah on Sunday night time to begin the eight-day Hanukkah vacation as tens of hundreds remained with out electrical energy and Russia’s almost 10-month warfare produced new victims.
Dozens gathered in Maidan Independence Square within the capital, Kyiv, at sunset for the lighting of the primary candle of what native Jewish leaders say is Europe’s tallest menorah. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko joined ambassadors from Israel, the United States, Japan, Poland, Canada and France in a ceremony organized by the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine. They sang blessings below the flames of the menorah, which towered over the group and passing automobiles in frigid climate.
Rabbi Mayer Stambler, a frontrunner of Ukraine’s Jewish group, drew parallels to the story of Hanukkah, an eight-day commemoration of the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Maccabees after their victory over the Seleucid Greeks greater than 2,000 years in the past. When solely sufficient oil was out there to maintain the temple candles lit for someday and night time, the oil inexplicably burned for eight days and eight nights — a feat now celebrated because the Jewish Festival of Lights.
“We are actually now living through the same situation,” mentioned Stambler, drawing a parallel with the present blackouts in Ukraine that Russian bombardments have brought on. “This is a war between darkness and light.”
Ukraine’s Jewish group marked the primary night time of Hanukkah, a vacation that has taken on extra significance amid ongoing resistance to Russia’s invasion of the nation.
Among these watching was 47-year-old Viktoria Herman, who mentioned the pageant of lights introduced her hope throughout the December days with the least daylight of the yr.
“There will be light and everything will be fine for everyone. And finally the war will end,” she mentioned.
The Israeli ambassador to Ukraine, Michael Brodsky, mentioned: “I wish for the people of Ukraine all of that which Hanukkah symbolizes. I wish there was light on every Ukrainian house … and I wish you victory.”
Volunteers distributed hundreds of menorahs, candles, printed supplies, household puzzle video games and sweets for the vacation to members of Ukraine’s Jewish minority inhabitants.
With the vacation symbolism as a backdrop, Ukraine’s state-owned energy grid operator Ukrenergo mentioned Sunday electrical energy restoration work from Russian missile harm was persevering with. It mentioned the quantity of electrical energy consumption elevated in comparison with Saturday, because of falling temperatures.
On the battlefield, Russian army forces on Sunday shelled the centre of Kherson, the key metropolis that Russian troopers retreated from final month in one in all Moscow’s greatest battlefield setbacks in Ukraine.
Three individuals had been wounded within the assaults, mentioned presidential deputy chief of workers Kyrylo Tymoshenko.
The southern metropolis and its surrounding area have come below frequent assault for the reason that Russian pullback. Regional Gov. Yaroslav Yanushevych mentioned Sunday that Russia had carried out 54 assaults with rocket, mortar and tank fireplace over the day past, killing three individuals and wounding six.
Meanwhile, in Russia, the governor of the Belgorod area, Vyacheslav Gladkov, mentioned Sunday that one individual was killed and eight wounded in Ukrainian shelling of the area, which lies alongside Ukraine’s northern border.
In the newest section of the warfare, Moscow’s forces have been closely concentrating on infrastructure serving civilians, resembling water and electrical energy provide strains, compounding Ukrainians’ struggling as winter approaches.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy used the ultimate of the soccer World Cup to decry warfare.
“This World Cup proved time and again that different countries and different nationalities can decide who is the strongest in fair play but not in the playing with fire — on the green playing field, not on the red battlefield,” Zelenskyy mentioned in an English video assertion launched hours earlier than the ultimate in Qatar between Argentina and France.
