Several dozen people gathered outside the legislature Sunday afternoon to celebrate the beginning of Hanukkah.
Rabbi Meir Kaplan and B.C. Minister of Education Rob Fleming lit the first candle of the menorah about 3:30 p.m. to mark the first day of the holiday.
“Hanukkah Sameach,” said Kaplan, using a Hebrew phrase for Happy Hanukkah. “We add light to the world, and that’s the way we illuminate darkness.”
While most Jewish holidays are celebrated at home, Kaplan said the public celebration of Hanukkah gives Victoria’s Jewish community an opportunity to come together. It’s something particularly important in light of anti-Semitic attacks in recent years, he said, citing as an example the October 2018 shooting in a Pittsburgh synagogue that killed 11 people and wounded six.
“It’s a universal message about the power of light and that’s why it is actually part of the celebration of Hanukkah to do it in a public place and have as many people as possible participate in the celebrations. That’s unique for this holiday,” Kaplan said.
The eight-day holiday celebrates the triumph over an army that tried to force the people of Israel to assimilate to Greek culture. When they lit a menorah, they found only a small amount of olive oil remained. What should have lasted one day kept the menorah lit for eight days.
Like the oil supply that was more powerful than expected, Kaplan said every individual can surprise themselves with their own strength.
“The message of Hanukkah is: We should never underestimate the power of light that we have. We should realize that we have exactly the light that is necessary for us,” he said.
The crowd sang a song blessing the menorah after Kaplan and Fleming lit the first candle together.
After the ceremony, people enjoyed potato latkes with apple sauce and jelly-filled doughnuts called sufganiyot. Kaplan said the oily foods are consumed to celebrate the miracle of the oil that kept the menorah lit for eight days.
Mitzi Dean, MLA for Esquimalt-Metchosin, and Dan Ashton, MLA for Penticton, also attended the event.
A second public menorah lighting ceremony was held at Centennial Square at 5 p.m.
Hanukkah continues until Dec. 30.
