JNS
"On behalf of President Biden and the American people we want to wish you on the eighth night of Hanukkah a chag sameach," Thomas Nides said.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides joined in a ceremony marking Hanukkah at the Western Wall Plaza on Sunday evening.
“On behalf of President Biden and the American people we want to wish you on the eighth night of Hanukkah a chag sameach [happy holiday], a wonderful new year; most importantly, to celebrate the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel,” Nides said.
Rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites Shmuel Rabinowitz said, “We pray that the light of the candles continues all year and that the Western Wall continues to be a place of unity and peace in and out of our home.”
Chief Rabbi of Israel David Lau said, “The eyes of the entire Jewish nation look to here. May we merit seeing the light burning in the Temple next year and may we see the fulfillment of the verse, ‘O that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion; when the Lord returns the captivity of His people, Jacob shall rejoice, Israel shall be glad.’ ”
Also participating in the candle-lighting ceremony were Nides’s wife, Virginia Moseley; Juan Luis Manzur, chief of Argentina’s Cabinet of Ministers; Eyal Caspi, commissioner of Israel’s National Fire and Rescue Authority; Rabbi of the Fire Authority Chaim Pearl; Police District Commander Shmulik Friedman, Jerusalem District Fire Commander Nissim Twito; the director of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation, Mordechai “Suli” Eliav; and Ministry for Religious Affairs director-general Gal Shem-Tov.
Caption: U.S. Ambassador Thomas Nides lights a Hanukkah flame at the Western Wall Plaza as Chief Rabbi of Israel David Lau (standing with the child) and Rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites Shmuel Rabinowitz (directly behind Nides) look on, Dec. 25, 2022.
Credit: The Western Wall Heritage Foundation.
