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===New York City===
===New York City===
The world's largest menorah stands at 32 feet and is lit at [[Fifth Avenue]] and 59th Street in [[Manhattan]] near [[Central Park]]. A 4,000-pound structure, it is the work of [[Israeli]] artist [[Yaacov Agam]]. Because of the menorah’s height, [[Consolidated Edison|Con Edison]] assists the lighting by using a [[Crane (machine)|crane]] to lift each person to the top. A [[Guinness World Record]] is pending<ref name="Largest Menorah"/>
The world's largest menorah stands at 32 feet and is lit at [[Fifth Avenue]] and 59th Street in [[Manhattan]] near [[Central Park]]. A 4,000-pound structure, it is the work of [[Israelis|Israeli]] artist [[Yaacov Agam]]. Because of the menorah’s height, [[Consolidated Edison|Con Edison]] assists the lighting by using a [[Crane (machine)|crane]] to lift each person to the top. A [[Guinness World Record]] is pending<ref name="Largest Menorah"/>


===Israel===
===Israel===

Revision as of 11:33, 6 February 2012

A public Hanukkah menorah in Donetsk, Ukraine.

A public menorah is a large menorah displayed publicly during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. It is done to celebrate the holiday and publicize the miracle of Hanukkah, and is typically accompanied by a public event during one of the nights of Hanukkah attended by invited dignitaries who are honored with lighting the menorah.

The lighting ceremony is often augmented by festivities such as singing, dancing, and traditional Hanukkah foods.[1] Public menorahs are often associated with the Chabad movement and its outreach activities.

History

The concept of lighting a menorah in a public area dates back to ancient times, where menorahs were lit outside of people's homes and in other public places. Today, home menorahs are often kindled in a window that faces the public thoroughfare. In the modern era, public menorah lighting dates back to 1975, when concert promoter Bill Graham was approached by Rabbi Chaim Drizin and KQED Program Director Zev Putterman who asked for his assistance in reaching out to the Jewish Community.[2] Graham donated the funds for the construction of a twenty-two foot tall mahogany menorah. The menorah was lit in a public ceremony in December, 1975 [3]

Notable menorah lightings

White House

Since 1979, the White House has lit a National Menorah in celebration of Hanukkah. President Jimmy Carter attended that first ceremony. More recently, Arnold Schwarzenegger[4] was honored with lighting the Menorah, and the most recent lighting was done by current White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.[5]

British Parliament

Each year, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom holds a menorah lighting at the home of the Speaker of the House of Commons. The menorah currently used was commissioned by the Rt. Hon. Michael J. Martin MP, former Speaker of the House of Commons.[6]

New York City

The world's largest menorah stands at 32 feet and is lit at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street in Manhattan near Central Park. A 4,000-pound structure, it is the work of Israeli artist Yaacov Agam. Because of the menorah’s height, Con Edison assists the lighting by using a crane to lift each person to the top. A Guinness World Record is pending[1]

Israel

Public menorahs are prominently displayed throughout Israel, notably in the Ben Gurion airport[7]


Chabad-Lubavitch menorah campaign

A large Chabad-style menorah in front of the Karlsruhe castle in Karlsruhe, Germany before a public Chabad-Lubavitch menorah lighting ceremony (2006).

Public display and lightings of menorahs are often associated with the Chabad movement. It started in 1987, when its Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, instructed followers to initiate a campaign to erect public menorahs, saying that "Wherever Jews live, large Menorahs should be lit to publicize the Chanukah miracle and an effort should be made that every Jew light candles in his home." adding that "may this also allow everyone to illuminate his soul with the light of Torah and also, light up the entire public thoroughfare, increasing light every day.[8] Following this statement, his followers began organizing public lightings to which they would invite the local community. Within Chabad, these lightings are viewed as a way to reach out to secular and/or non-affiliated Jews in high-density population areas and to promote Torah observance among Jews. Today these menorahs are found all over the globe.

Controversy

There has been controversy with the public display and lightings of the menorah. Due to Chabad's prominent role in such lighting ceremonies, Chabad has often been the focus of either defending or being criticized for such lightings. In 1989, the County of Allegheny with the support of Chabad, won in the United States Supreme Court against the ACLU in County of Allegheny v. ACLU over the display of a Chabad-owned public menorah. In 1988, the American Jewish Congress produced a 28-page report entitled "The Year of the Menorah", criticizing Chabad's public menorah campaign and the litigation that went with it. It complained of the increase in the number of menorahs placed on public lands, arguing that it was causing tension both within the community and with non-Jews.[9]

In 1989, the city of Burlington, Vermont denied the local Chabad chapter, headed by Rabbi Yitzchok Raskin permission to erect a menorah in the city's main park during Hanukkah.[10] Raskin appealed the decision on two occasions after an initial hearing 1987 found the display to be unconstitutional under the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The ACLU assisted the City of Burlington in a final appeal in the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 1991, and the menorah ban was upheld.[11][12] There has been other similar cases involving Chabad public menorahs with the courts ruling against Chabad, including Chicago (1990)[13] Iowa (1986),[14], Cincinnati (1991),[15] and Georgia (1991).[16] In addition, in 1991, in White Plains, New York, the Common Council unanimously rejecting the display of a Chabad menorah in a public space in the town with the support of many Jews, affirming a local tradition of keeping parks free of religious and political displays.[17]

On the other hand, in 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed Rabbi Sholom B. Kalmanson of Chabad of Southern Ohio to light an 18-foot menorah in Cincinnati's Fountain Square. Justice John Paul Stevens upheld a lower court ruling that the city could not ban the menorah and other religious displays from the square.[18][19]

Due to it being a Jewish symbol, the menorahs in public have been subject to anti-Semitic violence before. For instance, in 2009 in Moldova, a group of fundamentalist Orthodox Christians took down a public menorah and replaced it with a cross.[20] The same year in Vienna, Austria, a Chabad rabbi was attacked by a Muslim man while leading the candle lighting ceremony.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Lernar, Dana. "The World's Largest Menorah". NYC: NYU Jurnalism Institute. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  2. ^ Rosenstock, Natasha. "Flashback: First Public Menorah in San Francisco's Union Square". SF: Chabad Lubavitch World HQ. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  3. ^ Martinfield, Sean. "FIRST LIGHTING OF HANUKKAH SUNDAY IN TRADITIONAL SAN FRANCISCO UNION SQUARE OBSERVANCE". SF: San Francisco Sentinel. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  4. ^ http://newsblaze.com/story/20091212111718zzzz.nb/topstory.html Schwarzenegger Joins Chanukah Celebration at Capitol Menorah Lighting Ceremony
  5. ^ "Emanuel lights National Menorah at White House". The Associated Press. 2009-12-13. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  6. ^ "M.P. Levene Special Commissions". Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  7. ^ Massive Chanukah Menorah will Greet Airborne Guests
  8. ^ Sicha of Kislev 25, 5747 (1987)
  9. ^ Menorah displays stir Jewish rift, Miami Herald, June 14, 1987
  10. ^ Mark A. Kaplan v. City of Burlington and Robert Whalen (12/12/89)United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, No. 89-7042; 891 F.2d 1024
  11. ^ Chabad-Lubavitch of Vermont v. City of Burlington, 936 F.2d 109 (C.A.2 (Vt.), 1991)
  12. ^ New Twist to Old Fight: Menorah in Vermont Park, Sally Johnson, New York Times, December 20, 1987
  13. ^ Lubavitch Chabad House, Inc. v. City of Chicago, 917 F.2d 341 (C.A.7 (Ill.), 1990)
  14. ^ Lubavitch of Iowa, Inc. v. Walters, 808 F.2d 656 (C.A.8 (Iowa), 1986),
  15. ^ Congregation Lubavitch v. City of Cincinnati, 923 F.2d 458 (C.A.6 (Ohio), 1991)
  16. ^ Chabad-Lubavitch of Georgia v. Miller, 5 F.3d 1383 (C.A.11 (Ga.), 1993)
  17. ^ White Plains Council Blocks Electric Menorah for Park, Lisa W. Foderaro, New York Times December 3, 1991
  18. ^ Supreme Court rules on public chanukiot, Joe Berkofsky, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, December 6, 2002
  19. ^ Chabad Of Southern Ohio et al. v. City of Cincinnati, 537 U.S. 1501, (2002) (per curiam)
  20. ^ a b "Moldovan Christians Tear Down Public Menorah". Baltimore Jewish Times. Budapest. JTA Wire Service. December 17, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2009.
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