 Mayor Walter Gray lights the centre candle last night on a menorah erected in Stuart Park, across from City Hall. |
A candle will be lit each day during eight-day Jewish holiday of Hanukkah.
"The lighting of the menorah carries with it an infinite power, and produces an energy that allows us to reach beyond our natural limitations in the quest of bringing good and better to the world forever," said Rabbi Schmuel Hecht.
"The menorah reminds us of the energy that exists today, and which is being produced through all eight days of the holiday," Hecht said.
Hanukkah celebrates the re-dedication of a Jewish temple in Jerusalem in 165 BCE, after a popular uprising against Greek-Syrian rule. The amount of oil left in the temple should only have been enough to burn a menorah for one day, but it wound up lasting for the full eight days.
Lighting of a menorah is associated with the triumph of good over evil, the affirmation of divine wisdom, and the responsibility of the individual to help bring about positive changes.
"Look inside yourself and you'll find goodness," Hecht said. "Look a little deeper, and you'll find an unstoppable force on a mission to make the world a better place."
Mayor Walter Gray, who climbed up a ladder to light the menorah's centre candle, said the event demonstrated the city's commitment to promoting diversity and inclusiveness in Kelowna.
