Hanukkah festival - Scholz calls for solidarity with Jews in Germany
At the beginning of the Hanukkah Festival of Lights, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for solidarity and compassion for Jews in Germany. "This is particularly important these days," said the SPD politician in Berlin on Thursday. "This is how each and every one of us can give strength to the words 'Never again'."
Scholz lit the first light on a tall Hanukkah candelabra at the Brandenburg Gate. The Chancellor said that it was exactly right that this candelabra was located in the heart of the capital - "as a symbol of hope and confidence and as a symbol of the inseparable affiliation of Jewish faith and Jewish fellow citizens to this, our country".
Scholz recalled the Hamas terror attack on Israel on October 7 and anti-Semitic incidents in Germany. "We do not accept it when Jewish fellow citizens have to be afraid to openly live their religion, their culture, their everyday life, when they exercise their fundamental right to be visible, a right that all people in our society have, without distinction," said the SPD politician.
The host of the event, Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, praised Germany and Scholz as a beacon of democracy. The message of Hanukkah is "light over darkness, democracy over tyranny", said Teichtal. He called for: "More light, more joy, more Jewish awareness, that is our answer."
Hundreds of anti-Semitic incidents have been recorded in Germany in recent weeks. Many Jews report feeling anxious. Strict security measures were in place for the ceremony and Pariser Platz was cordoned off over a wide area.
Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after a revolt against the Greeks in 164 BC and the "miracle of light" of a candelabrum burning for eight days. The festival also lasts eight days, this year until December 15. Every day, another light is lit on the candelabrum known as the Hanukkia.
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- The Hanukkah festival in Berlin this year was attended by many, including Olaf Scholz, the SPD leader and Germany's Federal Chancellor, who emphasized the importance of solidarity and compassion towards Jews in Germany.
- At the Brandenburg Gate, a significant location in Berlin, Chancellor Scholz lit the first light on a large Hanukkah candelabra, symbolizing hope and confidence in the inseparable connection of Jewish faith and Jewish fellow citizens to the country.
- Addressing the gathering, Scholz denounced the Hamas terror attack on Israel and anti-Semitic incidents in Germany, asserting that it was unacceptable for Jews to feel threatened in their daily lives due to their religion and cultural practices.
- Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, host of the event, commended Germany as a shining example of democracy and lauded Chancellor Scholz, referencing the Hanukkah message of "light over darkness" and "democracy over tyranny".
- The festival of lights, Hanukkah, holds particular significance in Germany as it reminds both Jews and non-Jews of the values of religious freedom, democracy, and unity, even amidst the backdrop of rising anti-Semitic incidents in Berlin and across Germany.
Source: www.stern.de
