The Polish Parliament lit a menorah in honor of Chanukah for the first time last night in a public candle lighting ceremony.

The ceremony commemorated the first night of Chanukah which too place on Tuesday evening. It followed shortly upon the heels of the inaugural address made by the new Polish prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki. It is known that Morawiecki has Jewish roots.

In attendance at the ceremony were Kornel Morawiecki, Mateusz’s father; parliament speaker Marek Kuchciński; the ambassador of Israel in Warsaw Anna Azari; and representatives of the Jewish community and Jewish organizations from Warsaw.

“In the Sejm celebrating Chanukah together has become a custom,” said Kuchciński. “I believe that the meetings in the Sejm and the Senate held for years during this important time for Polish and Jewish culture show historic close ties connecting the Polish and Jewish communities living in Poland.”

Adding to the importance of the event, a second public Chanukah candle lighting ceremony is scheduled to take place on Thursday in the presidential palace in Warsaw.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)