Menorah in Melbourne
The Victorian Premiere Daniel Andrews and other Members of Victoria’s Parliament will join Rabbi Chaim Herzog and Chabad of Melbourne CBD in celebrating Chanukah, the Festival of Lights at Queen’s Hall in Parliament House of Victoria.
Daniel Andrews
This year Chabad of Melbourne CBD’s annual Cocktail Party and Menorah Lighting event is being hosted in conjunction with Caulfield Hebrew Congregation and Kew Hebrew Congregation.
Guest speaker at this year’s Chanukah ceremony in Parliament will be Rabbi Ralph Genende, of Caulfield Hebrew Congregation. Special guests will include Graham Smorgon and Rabbi Joseph Gutnick. Rabbi Chaim Herzog, Chabad of Melbourne CBD’s Director and local Shliach (emissary) of the Melbourne Central Business District said “This year’s event will be on a larger scale than previous with many dignitaries in attendance and a special performance by Cantor Dov Farkas. The evening will also feature Didi Levin and the Central Shul Choir.”
Herzog recalled that Chabad’s leader in Melbourne, the late Rabbi Yitzchok Dovid Groner “used to take a special interest in this event”, noting that “I had always received tremendous encouragement from Rabbi Groner especially when it came to the Chanukah Lighting Celebration at Parliament”
This year’s Cocktail Party and Menorah Lighting ceremony will begin at 7:30pm on the first night of Chanukah, the eight-day Festival of Light that begins on the eve of the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev — celebrating the triumph of light over darkness.
