Chanukah in Our Community and Beyond

This week, Rabbi Miriam has been representing Kehillat Nashira bringing Chanukah light into many different spaces.

Earlier this week, Rabbi Miriam visited Meadow Hill Care Home, a newly opened care home in Castleford Close, Borehamwood. She lit Chanukah candles with residents and staff, sharing songs, blessings, and a moment of warmth and connection.

It has also been a painful week for the Jewish community. News from Sydney, Australia has reminded us that even when events take place on the other side of the world, Jewish pain is felt collectively. As we head into Chanukah ourselves in the UK, our message is not to let anyone dim our light. Chanukah is about fighting for freedom to practice our religion freely. And a core tenet of Chanukah is pirsumei nisa - "proclaiming the miracle" in as public a way as possible. Let's not turn inwards in fear but shine our light brighter and prouder than ever. On Wednesday evening, Rabbi Miriam was at the Foreign Office for the first ever lighting of a Chanukiah in the building. She addressed the gathering with the following words, which are shared here as spoken.

Foreign Secretary, Ministers, Guests, members of the FCDO Jewish Network and the wider FCDO community - Good afternoon and happy Chanukah! 

It is a great pleasure to be at this very special occasion - the first ever lighting of this magnificent Chanukiah at the Foreign Office. It is a real shehecheyanu moment - a moment of thanking God for bringing us to this time.

Chanukah is about light shining in the darkness, and it has unfortunately been a dark week for Jewish people. When Jews are killed, whether here in the UK or the other side of the world in Sydney, we all hurt. Today we particularly welcome the Acting Australian High Commissioner Elisabeth Bowes and thank her for being here. 

So before lighting candles, let’s acknowledge the darkness of this week. 

Rabbi Miriam continued by reading the following prayer written for Bondi beach, by Rabba Daphne Lazar Price, as published in The Times of Israel.

Prayer for Bondi Beach by Rabba Daphne Lazar Price

She continued with the following:

The first Chanukah took place when Jews living under Selucid Greek occupation were not allowed to practise their faith, in private or in public. 

Today we celebrate a Britain where faiths are free, protected and celebrated. 

This chanukiah placed at the heart of our Government exemplifies this. And at the heart of the Foreign Office, this chanukiah sends a strong message to the world that the UK celebrates its Jewish community. 

Together, alongside our Government, we light candles to celebrate freedom of religion. Together, when necessary, we work - indeed sometimes fight - against those who seek to minimise this freedom. 

Sometimes this looks like better, stronger security - and if anyone wants to know how protected our communities are, they only need to try to get into the Foreign Office! 

But Chanukah is not about hiding behind higher and higher walls. It is about proclaiming the miracle of light surviving against the odds - in Hebrew pirsumei nisa. Publicly, visibly without hiding, with pride!

So without further ado, I’ll say the brachot (blessings) on lighting the Chanukiah. You should have sheets with the words and are warmly invited to join in! 

As we continue through Chanukah 5786, we thank each of you for bringing light into challenging times. We look forward to celebrating together as a community next Motzei Shabbat, Saturday 20 December, from 5.15–8pm, for Havdalah, candle lighting, food, and dancing. The neon paint and UV lights are ready, and we cannot wait to be together.