'A light against the darkness of terror': Berlin celebrates Hanukkah
Defying the fear of terror attacks and under heavy security, Berlin's Jewish community celebrates Hanukkah by lighting one of the two biggest hanukkiahs in the world.
The Christmas atmosphere has enveloped Berlin's streets. But before the actual holiday begins, the city's large Jewish population is trying to spread a little Hanukkah light at a particularly sensitive time, in a particularly sensitive spot.
Berlin's Jewish community on Sunday held a special ceremony in the city center to light the first Hanukkah candle. The event has become something of a tradition recently, and this year's grandiose event featured the biggest hanukkiah (Hanukkah menorah) in Europe, and one of the two biggest in the world.
Its height is matched only by the hanukkiah opposite the White House in the US. Berlin's hanukkiah stands in the middle of the city's famous Brandenburg Gate and had to be lit with the help of a crane.
This year, under the ongoing threat of terror in Europe and the fight against the Islamic State organization, holding the ceremony became even more of a challenge.
"They tried to persuade us to cancel," Rabbi Teichtal told Ynet during a celebratory reception at the US embassy in Berlin. "We didn't want to let terror win. This is our response: Light against darkness."
Holding public events such as this has been far from straightforward in the wake of the Paris terror attacks, and it was difficult not to notice the heavy security presence around the site of the ceremony. Around 15 ambassadors were present, including from the Israeli embassy.
"The event this year is under much more security than in the past," said Rabbi Teichtal. "It is heavily guarded." Uniformed and plainclothes members of the German security forces were present. "In previous years we had stands distributing hanukkiahs, but not this year," said a member of the Jewish community attending the ceremony.
"The event this year is under much more security than in the past," said Rabbi Teichtal. "It is heavily guarded." Uniformed and plainclothes members of the German security forces were present. "In previous years we had stands distributing hanukkiahs, but not this year," said a member of the Jewish community attending the ceremony.
Nonetheless, when Rabbi Teichtal said "Am Yisrael Chai" during the event, the attendees – Jewish and non-Jewish alike – started dancing in the freezing cold. There were even Syrian refugee children standing alongside the Jewish children.
On Monday, Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked arrived in Berlin to light the second candle on the hanukkiah, with her host the German justice minister. Dozens of Israelis and Chabad members also took part in the event.
The writer was a guest of the city of Berlin.
