After more than 80 years, a Hanukkah candle was lit again in Šeduva

On the evening of December 16, the third Hanukkah candle was lit at the Šeduva Jewish History Museum, The Lost Shtetl. The ceremony was attended by members of the Panevėžys and Šiauliai Jewish communities as well as Rabbi Yizchak Pevzner, head of the Chabad Lubavitch Center (KSD).

“This is the first Hanukkah – the Jewish Festival of Lights – that we are celebrating under the roof of the newly opened Lost Shtetl museum. For us, this is a very significant moment – after more than 80 years, a Hanukkiah, the nine-branched Hanukkah candelabrum, is once again being lit in Šeduva. We are delighted that this is happening with the participation of representatives from neighboring Jewish communities and residents of Šeduva. After all, Hanukkah is an opportunity for everyone to meet, connect, and rejoice in the miracle of light, regardless of one’s faith or culture,” said Dr. Jolanta Mickutė, Head of Education at the Lost Shtetl museum.

Hanukkah is one of the most important Jewish holidays, celebrated since the 2nd century BCE. It is said that at that time Jerusalem was occupied by the Greeks, who forbade Jews from observing the Sabbath and turned the Temple into a shrine to Zeus. The Jews rose up, liberated Jerusalem, and reclaimed the Temple, where they found only a very small amount of oil for the lamp – enough for just one day. But a miracle occurred, and the lamp burned for eight days. Since then, Hanukkah has been celebrated for eight days. Each evening a new candle is lit until, at the end of the holiday, all eight are burning – along with one helper candle, the ninth, called the shamash, which is used to light the others. The shamash symbolizes service to others and reminds us that everyone can be a bearer of light. During Hanukkah, foods fried in oil are eaten, the most popular being yeast doughnuts filled with jam (sufganiyot).

At the museum’s event, guests could savor traditional doughnuts, enjoy Jewish music, and discover the history of Hanukkah. During the ceremony, prayers were offered in memory of the victims of the terrorist attack in Australia.