Menorah lit inside Parliament House

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For the first time ever, the Menorah has been lit  in Canberra at  ‘Chanukah on the Hill’, a celebration of Chanukah in Australia’s  inside federal Parliament.

Senator Michael Ronaldson, Philip Ruddock MP, Senator Zed Seselja, Rabbi Alon Meltzer, Michael Sukkar MP (obscured), Mark Dreyfus MP, Rabbi Ben Elton, Rabbi Shmuel Feldman, Andrew Nikolic MP, Michael Danby MP, Tanya Plibersek MP, Michelle Rowland MP (obscured), Chris Pyne MP, Josh Frydenberg MP and Laurie Ferguson MP celebrate Chanukah at Parliament House. Photo: Eldad Ohayon.

The event was held under the auspices of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, in conjunction with Chabad ACT and the ACT Jewish Community.

It was the first time such an event has been held since 1988, when Bob Hawke was Prime Minister. But at that time the Menorah was lit outside the building.

The event attracted 150 people, including politicians and members of the local Jewish community. The candles were lit by Michael Danby, Josh Frydenberg, Tanya Plibersek,  Christopher Pyne, Zed Seselja, Gai Brodtmann, Robert Goot and Israeli Embassy Deputy Ambassador Anat Sultan-Dadon.

Mr Danby said, “I was honoured to have hosted this event, the first of its kind in almost 30 years. Events like this help highlight the contribution the Australian Jewish community has made to Australian society and Australian politics.”

ECAJ President Robert Goot and Executive Director Peter Wertheim and the Great Synagogue’s Rabbi Ben Elton travelled to Canberra for the event.

The Chanukiah was ceremoniously lit, by politicians including Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Christopher Pyne and Acting Leader of the Opposition Tanya Plibersek.

Bill Arnold contributed to the photographs.