At the conclusion of Mincha prayers on the eve of Chanuka in the Central Shul’s main sanctuary, the large crowd, including members and guests, moved over to the southern wall in order to light the first Chanuka light.
The candle was emotionally lit by philanthropist Mr. Yehuda Kanievsky, friend and supporter of the Marina Roscha shul in Moscow’s center, in gratitude for his gift – a beautiful goldplated menorah, which in its similarity to the original that stood in the Holy Temple, arouses anticipation for the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days.
The menorah was created by the Jewish artist Mr. Alon Lisitzky of Moscow, with Shliach and educator Rabbi Avraham Elimelech Gedzh guiding and instructing him so that the outcome be according to the Rambam’s renderings, with diagonal branches as the Lubavitcher Rebbe called for all to draw and publicize. Indeed, tens of thousands of similar menorahs were already made throughout the world, many of them in large scale, which caused great ‘pirsumei nisa’ – publicizing of the miracles – all over.
One such menorah stands at the foot of the Kremlin fortress in the capital of Russia, and is lit each year by the Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, while thousands of onlookers cheer despite the bitter cold, and is translated simultaneously by various media outlets in a respectable and dignified manner.
