First Candle Lighting at the Kosel Dedicated To Hostages Release

Tonight (Thursday), the first candle of Chanuka was lit at the Western Wall under the slogan “Lighting the Light for the Captives.” Additionally, 138 symbolic menoras were lit, representing the number of captives still being held in captivity.

The Rav of the Kosel, Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, said, “Here, from the Kosel, our candles shine for you in the darkness. We pray for you. We pray with you. The entire Jewish nation is with you and will be with you until you return home. We all pray together tonight, ‘And the sons shall return to their borders.’”

In an emotional ceremony initiated by the Western Wall Heritage Foundation and the Ministry of Religious Services, the lighting of the first Chanuka candle took place, symbolizing ‘Lighting the Light for the Captives.’ Simultaneously, 138 symbolic Chanuka menoras were lit, corresponding to the number of captives, in prayer for their safe return.

The candle lighting ceremony took place in the presence of the chief rabbi of Eretz Yisroel, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef; Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz; the minister of religious services, Rabbi Michael Malkieli; the mayor of Yerushalayim, Moshe Leon; Mordechai (Suli) Eliav, director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation; Rabbi Yehuda Cohen, director of the chief rabbinate; the director of the ministry of religious services, Rabbi Yehuda Avidan; the coordinator for captives and missing persons, Colonel Gal Hirsch; Shlomi Berger, the father of Agam Berger, a lookout soldier who was kidnapped to Gaza; Einav Danino, the mother of Uri Danino, who was kidnapped from Re’im, and together with them, the families of the captives and a large audience.

Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef blessed the captives, the missing, and the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces to return safely in body and soul.

Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz said, “I am speaking from here, from the Kosel, from the ancient stones that are the beating heart of Yidden. I address our brothers and sisters in Gaza. I don’t know if you hear me, but I know that your hearts are connected to ours now. Our candles shine for you in the darkness. We pray for you. We pray with you. The entire Jewish nation is with you, and we will be with you until you return home soon, with G-d’s help. We all pray together tonight, ‘And the sons shall return to their borders’—healthy and whole in body and soul.”

The candle-lighting ceremony will occur every evening during Channuka at 16:30 at the Kosel and will be broadcast live. (Except for Friday, 25 Kislev, at 15:30, and Motzei Shabbos, 26 Kislev, at 19:30.)