Customs - Hanukkah: A festival of lights in threatening times
The chairman of the Jewish community, Reinhard Schramm, expects a more sober atmosphere than usual at Hanukkah this year. "Of course, the celebration will be different, there will be more serious words," said Schramm, referring to the start of the Festival of Lights on Thursday and the Hamas attack on October 7 and its consequences. The Hanukkah ball on Saturday evening, which, as every year in Erfurt, is also expected to be attended by representatives from the world of politics, for example, will not be as exuberant as usual. "There won't be any dancing," said Schramm.
The atmosphere in Germany is not good for Jews at the moment. "I have the feeling that Israel is being condemned - instead of Hamas," said Schramm. The massacre on October 7 was "the biggest pogrom against Jews since the end of the Second World War".
Terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups carried out a massacre in Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip on October 7. More than 1,200 people were killed on the Israeli side and in the following days, including at least 850 civilians. Israel therefore began to massively attack targets in the Gaza Strip.
As a result of the events in the Middle East, the protection of Jewish institutions has also been stepped up in Thuringia. According to the state police directorate, patrol officers are almost permanently stationed outside the synagogue in Erfurt, for example. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the security authorities will also be keeping a close eye on Jewish institutions and events during the Hanukkah holidays. "It's sad that all of this is only possible with police protection," said Schramm. But if there is no other way, then better this way than not at all.
The Hanukkah festival lasts eight days and refers to the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem in the second century BC and the tradition of a "miracle of light". During the eight-day festival, lights are lit one after the other on a nine-branched candelabrum.
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- Children in the Jewish community of Erfurt are looking forward to the Hanukkah festival despite the serious atmosphere, eagerly anticipating the traditional lighting of the candles on the nine-branched candelabrum.
- The Hanukkah festival, with its roots in the second century BC and the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem, is a significant celebration in Judaism and is widely celebrated in the Gaza Strip as well as in Israel and other parts of the world.
- Despite the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, the need for unity and peace among different religious and cultural groups, such as Jews in Germany and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, has never been more apparent.
- In a show of solidarity, the Thuringia State Government in Germany has announced plans to sponsor a Hanukkah festival in Erfurt, with music performances and cultural events aimed at promoting understanding between different communities.
- As the festival of lights approaches, leaders of the Jewish community in Thuringia, Germany, are urging for a peaceful and harmonious celebration, hoping that it will serve as a symbol of hope and unity during this time of increasing tension and conflict.
- In the spirit of Hanukkah, a festival that celebrates the victory of light over darkness and the triumph of freedom and religious identity, many German Jews are looking to the music and its rhythm as a source of comfort and strength in these challenging times.
- In a demonstration of the resilience and strength of the Jewish community, despite ongoing conflicts and threats, the Hamukkah festival will still be celebrated in Erfurt, Germany, with enthusiasm and fervor, as it has been for generations.
Source: www.stern.de
