The second Hanukkah evening at the Menorah Center turned out not only a big city holiday, but also an important event for the whole country – along with the Dnepr’s city head, Boris Filatov, the famous Ukrainian public and political figure who returned from Israel, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish community of Dnepr Gennady Korban became the main character of the day.
The guests of honor received applause as they passed through the Menorah Gallery filled with people. Boris Filatov warmly congratulated everyone on the Hanukkah holiday and said that he was happy to light the Hanukkah candles together with his friend Gennady Korban.
Chief Rabbi of Dnepr and the region Shmuel Kaminezki noted that Hanukkah showed us that not everything happened at the same time, unlike with other Jewish symbols – the bar mitzvah, the tfillin-Hanukkah commandments uncovered the need for a gradual but steady increase in the world’s change, starting with the first step. He noted the enormous influence of light, both material and spiritual, on people’s lives, emphasizing how the city wass changing for the better, how it became brighter, and how much the city authorities were doing to ensure that all residents, regardless of nationality and confession, lived their lives conveniently, comfortably and calmly.
Gennady Korban read the blessings and lit two Hanukkah candles, and all those present answered “Amen.” Turning to the participants of the event, Gennady Korban said that Hanukkah was not only a victory in the past, but also what was happening now with each person, when they had to conquer even the most attractive and seemingly indestructible imperial greatness with divine light.
Then the Jewish community and the whole city received congratulations from the Second Secretary of the Embassy of the State of Israel in Ukraine, Director of the Israel Cultural Center in Dnepr, Vyacheslav Smotkin, on the occasion of Hanukkah.
Together with the members of the Jewish community, representatives of many national and cultural communities of our city took part in the ceremony of lighting the second candle.
“Dnepr is one in its diversity, and for me, as for the Ukrainian politician, it is very important to share with the community the joy of this holiday,” said Natalya Balakhnina, a parliamentary of the Industrial District Council. “I congratulate you, I congratulate all of us with this Hanukkah miracle”.
After the official ceremony, according to the tradition, a small concert took place, and the guests could taste the Hanukkah treats.
Courtesy of the news portal of the Jewish community of Dnepr: djc.com.ua/news/view/new/?id=18769&lang=ru
