Students from Hong Kong, England, Turkey and Southern Israel Unite to Light Chanukah Candles
Hundreds of educators from around the world participated in The Jewish Agency for Israel’s School Twinning Conference on Monday, December 10th. During the conference, which was held under the auspices of Israel’s ministry of Education, an international candle lighting ceremony tool place. Students from Hong Kong, England, Turkey and Ashdod each lit the third night of Chanukah candles in their own cities.
The international candle lighting ceremonies were followed by a live broadcast of prayer notes – written by students from around the world – being placed in crevices at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.
At the ceremony, Ilana Shel, 15, from Ashdod, lit the 3rd Chanukah candle on behalf of her Israeli peers. Shel’s parents immigrated to Israel from the Ukraine in 1990. Shel shared that being picked to light the Chanukah candle at this ceremony helped strengthen her sense of belonging, “It’s a great honor for me to represent Israel at this international candle-lighting event. It helps me feel a part of our big, Jewish family.”