Hanukkah 2024: Jewish tradition and the miracle of the menorah
Hanukkah, also called the Festival of Lights, is celebrated annually in cities throughout Israel and around the world.
This year, Hanukkah is being observed from December 25 through January 2. The Jewish community in Moldova marked the start of the holiday yesterday, and today, in Chișinău, the second candle was lit on the menorah.
Dozens of members of the Jewish community in Moldova attended the lighting of the Hanukkah candle, including a large number of children.
"We came to celebrate with our friends from home, with mom and dad. We carol, sing, and then head home."
"Hanukkah is a celebration of miracles, and we make an effort to attend these events as frequently as possible to celebrate with our community and family."
Until January 2, Jews celebrate the miracle of the menorah, which miraculously burned for eight days with only one jar of oil. Lighting the candles is the core tradition of this holiday. At sunset, each family places a candle in the window to demonstrate that miracles happen and that good triumphs over evil.
"What you see behind me is the Hanukkah menorah, a menorah with several branches—eight branches, with one in the middle. The other candles are lit from the middle branch, one for each day," said Aliona Grosu, director of the Jewish community.
The name of the holiday reflects the rededication of the altar in the Temple of Jerusalem after the Jewish victory in the Maccabean revolt against the Seleucid Empire.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
