By COLlive reporter
Chabad of California held their 40th annual Chanukah Ceremony at Los Angeles City Hall on Thursday night, the first night of Chanukah, where Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Eliyahu Cunin, Head Shliach and Director of Chabad Lubavitch on the West Coast, was joined by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for the lighting of the Menorah.
The Menorah that was lit was the historic Katowice Menorah, the only object that was salvaged from Poland’s Great Katowice Synagogue, destroyed during the Nazi Kristallnacht in 1938.
The Menorah remained hidden underground during the war. It was later gifted to Chabad. The Menorah is on display in LA City Hall’s rotunda during the eight days of Chanukah.
Attending the ceremony was Ela Shani Kozin, whose father was murdered in the Hamas massacre on October 7th, and her cousin remains a hostage in Gaza. She was joined by Noa Zahavi, the Los Angeles representative of the families of the hostages.
Holocaust survivor Rachel Schwartz helped light the Menorah. The event also included a musical performance by the Cheder Menachem Boys Choir, led by Rabbi Dovber Chaiton, with music by Yossi Niasoff.
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beautiful BH!