Chanukah in Victoria’s parliament
The annual Chanukah celebration was held in the Queen’s Hall at Victorian State Parliament this week, co-hosted by Chabad of Melbourne CBD and St Kilda Hebrew Congregation.
Rabbi Yaakov Glasman speaking at Parliament with Rabbi Chaim Herzog, MPs Nick Staikos and John Pesutto
Rabbi Yaakov Glasman, Senior Rabbi of St Kilda Hebrew Congregation, spoke at the Parliamentary Chanukah celebration supported by a performance of the amazing St Kilda Shule choir.
Rabbi Chaim Herzog from Chabad of Melbourne CBD, lit the Hanukkia, flanked by Nick Staikos MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and John Pesutto, Leader of the State Opposition. Mr Pesutto spoke to the packed-out audience and notably said that non-Jews in Victoria were proud of the State’s Jewish community. He said, “The commitment that throughout the milenia the Jewish people have shown to education, is a shining light building bridges between different civilisations.”
Opposition Leader John Pesutto
Rabbi Glasman told J-Wire, “It was an absolute privilege to have had the opportunity to deliver a spiritual message about the indomitable spirit of the Jewish people, and the importance of moral clarity during times of adversity.”
Rabbi Glasman is also a finalist in the Premier’s Award for Community Harmony and has also been nominated for the Multicultural Honour Roll for his leadership in interfaith and cross-cultural education and bridge building. He said that working on community harmony was as important as ever. The award winners will be announced by the Governor at a presentation event at Government House on December 19.
