Menorah Lit in Tel Aviv’s Dizengoff Square

Hundreds of residents and tourists converged on Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv last night to take part in the annual lighting of Chabad’s public Menorah.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe’s emissary to Tel Aviv, Rabbi Yosef Gerlitzky, first invited Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir to usher in the Chanukah festival by lighting the first Chanukah candle. He was followed by the spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Geoffrey Anisman.

Minister Shamir spoke of Chabad’s magnificent activities all around the globe and especially in Tel Aviv, while Mr. Anisman focused on the role that Chabad plays in U.S.-Israel relations. “The ties that bind the United States and Israel are tremendously strong.  We see this in many areas, such as security cooperation, economics, and education, and there are also spiritual ties.  And Chabad plays a big part in this,” said Anisman.

The Embassy even posted a picture of Mr. Anisman raising a toast “Lechaim” with Minister Shamir and the Shliach next to the Menorah.

Rabbi Gerlitzky said that this is a project that was initiated by the Lubavitcher Rebbe many years ago, and that this year Chabad in Tel Aviv will be lighting over 100 public Menorahs at all major intersections, hospitals, senior citizen homes and malls all 8 days of Chanukah, in order to light up the city with spiritual light and energy, thereby hastening the coming of Moshiach.