By COLlive reporter
The largest Menorah in Europe was lit at Berlin’s famed Brandenburg Gate by Or Elyakim, whose mother Dalia was killed in last week’s attack in Berlin.
Elyakim was accompanied by Shliach Rabbi Shmuel Segal, with more then 1500 people present.
The ceremony was conducted by Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal, Shliach and Rabbi of the Berlin Jewish community.
At the ceremony, the presence of many personalities from the German government was noted, as well as representatives from three religions, Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Many public figures attended the lighting, including Petra Pau, vice president of the Bundestag, Israel’s ambassador to Germany Jacob Hds- Handelman, German politician Ramona Pop, and President of the Jewish Community of Berlin, Dr. Gideon Joffe. Also participating were US Ambassador (outgoing) to Germany Kent Logsdon, Senator Andreas Giizl and Member of Parliment Klaus Diitr- Grolhr.
During the ceremony, Rabbi Teichtal said, “The attack we suffered last week was a despicable act aimed at all three religions: it was aimed at the democratic world and against values such as peace and tolerance.”
Elyakim was lifted on a crane to light the Menorah, to the backdrop of a video of the Lubavitcher Rebbe playing on a large screen.
“The attack was meant to eternalize the darkness,” said Rabbi Teichtal. “But today we celebrate Chanukah, whose very essence is in opposition to that, since Chanukah’s message is the triumph of light and the spirit over darkness.
“We Jews have known suffering: we were persecuted by the Greeks, we were persecuted exactly 75 years ago right here in Germany, but now we stand strong and declare that light will always triumph over darkness. Our answer to acts of terrorism and evil is the unity and solidarity that we see here today,” Techtal said.
Before the ceremony of the Menorah lighting at Brandenburg Gate, an additional candle lighting ceremony was held at the US Embassy with the outgoing Ambassador Kent Logsdon.
