Hanukkah celebrated around the world
People worldwide begin eight-day celebrations on Sunday, with menorahs lit in Moscow, Berlin, and Washington, DC, among other places.
Hanukkah menorahs are special menorahs with 9 candle places, one for each of the holiday's eight days, plus a special candle used to light the others (known in Hebrew as a "shamash").
A Hanukkah menorah was placed at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, as it is every year, with the first candle of eight being lit on Sunday. Many also celebrated in Hamburg, with its giant seven-meter-tall Hanukkah menorah.
In Russia, the occasion marked the opening of a new Jewish heritage center and synagogue in Moscow's suburbs.
US President Barack Obama issued an official greeting in honor of the holiday, saying, "Tonight, Jews in America, Israel, and around the world come together to light the first candle of the Festival of Lights. At its heart, Hanukkah is about the struggle for justice in the face of overwhelming obstacles. It's a chance to reflect on the triumph of liberty over tyranny, the rejection of persecution, and on the miracles that can happen even in our darkest hours. It renews our commitment as Americans - as people who live by faith and conscience - to lead the way and act as unyielding advocates for the fundamental dignity of every human being."
The greeting continued, "During these eight days, let us be inspired by the light that can overcome darkness. As we recall the Maccabees' struggle to free a people from oppression, let us rededicate ourselves to being the engine of the miracles we seek. May the lights of the menorah brighten your home and warm your heart, and from my family to yours, Chag Sameach."
