Giant menorah set for Chanukah lighting at Western Wall

Each night of the eight-day holiday, various rabbis will take turns lighting the massive candelabra.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

Preparations in the Old City of Jerusalem for the Chanukah holiday, which begins Sunday night, are almost complete, now that the traditional candelabrum was erected Wednesday in the Western Wall plaza.

The menorah, over two meters high and two meters wide, is made of bronze and weighs over a ton, necessitating the use of a powerful crane to set it in place before being securely bolted down on a specially-made stage. It was donated by philanthropist George Rohr, the founder of an American private equity firm.

Each night of the eight-day holiday, various rabbis will take turns lighting the massive candelabra.

On Sunday, the chief rabbis of Israel will have the honor of kicking off the holiday as darkness falls. Last year, one of the prominent candle-lighters was US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, an observant Jew.

Two other Chanukah menorahs overlook the plaza, although they are much simpler – and smaller — constructions. One, known as “the Menorah Opposite the Holy of Holies,” is on the rooftop of a yeshiva directly facing the Western Wall. The other is situated on top of the Nathan Strauss House, overlooking the Plaza on the far left.

The three candelabras will be lit at approximately 20-minute intervals on weeknights, beginning at 4 p.m. On Friday the event will take place earlier, so as not to interfere with the Sabbath, which begins at sundown. On Saturday night, the lighting will take place at 7 p.m.

Following the candle-lighting ceremonies, young men from nearby Torah institutions traditionally lead the festive singing and dancing.

The ceremonies will be carried live over the internet through the “Kotel cameras” and on Facebook, as well as on the website of The Western Wall Heritage Foundation.