Photo Credit: Shimon Roumani
The World’s Largest Chanukah menorah will be lit again this year at New York’s most fashionable plaza, Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, by Central Park, between the Plaza and the Pierre Hotels.
The 36-foot high, gold colored, 4,000 pound steel structure will be lit nightly with genuine oil lamps. Specially designed glass chimneys will protect the Chanukah lights from the Central Park winds.
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“The Menorah serves as a symbol of dedication, strength and inspiration to all people to server G‑d freely, openly and proudly” said Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman, director of Lubavitch Youth Organization.
Starting with the first night of Chanukah, Sunday, December 22, the menorah will be lit every evening – most nights at 5:30 p.m. On Friday 27, at 3:30 p.m. On Shabbos night, December 28, at 8:30 p.m.
The menorah was certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest. It was specially designed by world-renowned artist Yaacov Agam, who has lit the menorah many times. It was inspired by a hand drawing by the Rambam of the original menorah in the Beis Hamikdosh in Yerushalayim.
The menorah had the singular honor of standing in miniature on the desk of the Rebbe, Rav Menachem Mendel Schneerson. The Rebbe personally approved the form of this menorah. It was only after the Rebbe’s personal approval that the menorah was built to its present dimensions.
In an interview with “Kfar Chabad” Magazine, Yaacov Agam said that “the Rebbe wanted that this menorah should be the world’s largest.” When there was talk about making a large menorah in another city the Rebbe instructed that the height of that city’s menorah should be 27 feet.
Yossi Ciehanover, the famed Israeli Diplomat who had very strong connections with the Rebbe, and whose wife Rivkah Ciehanover was instrumental in putting together the world’s largest Chanukah menorah, testified to “Kfar Chabad” Magazine, “that the Rebbe wanted this menorah to be the world’s largest.”
Over the years, the World’s Largest Menorah has been lit by New York City Mayors Abraham Beame, Ed Koch, David Dinkins, Rudolph Giuliani, Michael Bloomberg and Bill de Blasio – and Governors George Pataki and David Paterson, as well as other dignitaries.
Due to its height, it will be served by three cranes. A special 45-foot cherry-picker crane, as well as two platform-lifts on both sides of the menorah that will lift the lighters to the menorah’s Height.
During the lighting each night, there will be live music and hot latkes inside the plaza.
Chanukah carries an additional message,” adds Rabbi Butman. “The Rebbe teaches us that we are ‘the last generation of exile and the first generation of redemption,’ and the lights of the menorahs that our brethren light the world over will usher in the eternal light of Moshiach, the eternal light of the Great Redemption.”
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