World’s largest menorah ceremony honors victims while celebrating Hanukkah traditions
Celebration Shadowed by International Tragedy
Jews from across New York City gathered at Central Park’s southeast corner on Sunday evening, December 14, for the lighting of the world’s largest menorah despite mourning for victims of the terror shooting at a Hanukkah event in Sydney’s Bondi Beach. The massive 36-foot, 4,000-pound menorah erected annually by the Chabad Hasidic movement became the focal point of a celebration marked by both joy and grief. Rabbi Velvl Butman dedicated the service to the victims, telling the crowd that hearts were with the Jewish community of Sydney, Australia. At least 15 people were killed in the Sydney attack, making it the deadliest terror attack against Jews in the Diaspora in decades. According to The Times of Israel, the slaughter cast a pall over Hanukkah celebrations worldwide, but attendees insisted on maintaining the event’s upbeat atmosphere despite the tragedy. Dancing circles formed when music played, volunteers distributed holiday donuts, and Chabad-affiliated youths gave out menorahs and candles to attendees huddled against the cold December night.
Balancing Mourning and Celebration
Rabbi Butman acknowledged the difficult balance between Hanukkah’s celebratory nature and the heavy hearts of the community. He stated that the Jewish response to challenge has never been fear or retreat, but rather to add more light and more action. This message resonated with the crowd as Butman ascended above them on a cherry picker to light the massive menorah with a blowtorch. The annual lighting, dating back to 1977, represents one of thousands of public menorah ceremonies organized by Chabad worldwide. According to Chabad.org, approximately 15,000 public menorahs were erected globally for Hanukkah 2025, from New Zealand to Hawaii and thousands of locations in between. The Sydney attack, which targeted one such public celebration, underscored the vulnerability of these gatherings while simultaneously reinforcing their importance as expressions of Jewish identity and resilience.
Global Security Response
Major cities including Berlin, London, and New York ramped up security around Hanukkah events following the Sydney attack. New York Mayor Eric Adams announced deployment of extra protection for Hanukkah celebrations and synagogues throughout the city. The NYPD increased its visible presence at Jewish community centers, places of worship, and public gatherings during the eight-day festival. In Warsaw’s main synagogue, armed security was doubled for Sunday evening events. Berlin police ramped up measures around the Brandenburg Gate where a large electric menorah was lit to mark the first night of Hanukkah. According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents have increased significantly in recent years, necessitating enhanced security measures for Jewish communal events worldwide. The heightened security did not dampen participation, with crowds at the Central Park event comparable to previous years despite frigid temperatures and the somber international context.
Chabad’s Public Menorah Mission
The public menorah lighting tradition began in 1973 when Chabad Rebbe Menachem M. Schneerson launched a campaign encouraging Jews to celebrate Hanukkah visibly. The first modest lighting in a public square inspired dozens of others, and by 1979, President Jimmy Carter attended a lighting at Lafayette Park north of the White House. The tradition has since become Chabad’s most recognizable public activity, with menorahs appearing in city squares, parks, and even mounted on vehicles. The movement views public celebrations as central to its mission of engaging Jews and encouraging participation in Jewish life. According to My Jewish Learning, Hanukkah commemorates the Jewish victory over religious persecution and the miracle of oil that burned for eight days in the rededicated Temple. Public menorahs serve both as celebrations of this historical event and as contemporary statements of Jewish pride and visibility. While some public menorahs have experienced vandalism over the years, the Sydney attack represents the first known deadly assault on a public menorah lighting. The tragedy has prompted renewed discussions about balancing the importance of public Jewish expression with security concerns, though community leaders universally reject retreating from public spaces as a response to violence.
