CELEBRATING CHANUKAH AT TESHUVAH MESSIANIC SYNAGOGUE

I've accepted an invitation to celebrate Chanukah this evening at Teshuvah Messianic Synagogue. The invitation has come from Rabbi Dr Yehoshua Scott. He and I have spoken on the phone and exchanged emails over the past few months, but haven't met in person till this evening. That's Rabbi Scott in the photo above, beside the banner that’s put up outside Brice Hall (in Queens Road) whenever the congregation is meeting here.

This is the second of three Chanukah celebrations to which I've been invited this week. I attended the communal indoor lighting in the Town Hall with the Leicester Hebrew Congregation last night and have an invitation to the lighting of the public Menorah in Victoria Park with the Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation on Friday. If I'm able to attend all three, then I reckon I'll be the only person in Leicester to have done so.

I'm greeted at the door by the Rabbi's wife, who seats me beside Vickie Simpson, with whom I chat for the few minutes before the programme starts. I'm pleased to discover that, among other things, Vickie is an artist. Her work can be seen online here.

Rabbi Scott leads us through several songs, in Hebrew and English, accompanied by a small band, comprising a singer, a keyboard player and a violinist. We also see a number of musical video presentations, each one portraying something different about the celebration of Chanukah:

• Rock of Ages The Hanukkah story in eight hit songs (a short medley of pop music parodies through the ages) by aish.com
• Candlelight by The Maccabeats (a spoof of Taio Cruz's "Dynamite", based on Mike Tompkin's a cappela version of that song) that has received over 6,000,000 hits on YouTube
• Chanukkah Rights by Six13
• Light in the Air by biblerapsnation

Rabbi Scott reads a learned yet accessible drasha telling the story of the historical event which is commemorated and celebrated annually at Chanukkah, setting it within the wider historical context of its time and place.

A young man named Marcus shares his testimony with us. He reads three poems of his own composition, based on his experiences, each illustrating a different stage of fatherhood (and each an analogy for his changing relationship with God). To tell the truth, normally I don't find it easy to relate to this sort of thing, but I find Marcus's contribution to the evening was genuinely affecting, touching and moving. I think it brave of him to bare his soul before us (and I make a point of telling him that afterwards).

The attendees this evening are quite a mixed bunch, which is reflected in the food and drink on offer: Indian, Indonesian, Thai, as well as more traditional Chanukh fare (e.g. latkes and jam doughnuts).

I meet people this evening who have travelled from as far afield as Birmingham, Cambridgeshire and Coventry. Teshuvah Messianic Synagogue is the only one of its kind in the Midlands. Presently, there are two other Messianic Jewish congregations in England: Adat Yeshuah, in Norwich, Norfolk and Zera Avraham in Coulsdon, Surrey. All three are affiliated to the Union of British Messianic Jewish Congregations.

I enjoyed my warm welcome this evening - I didn't get to leave until 2245! I hope to be able to meet Rabbi Scott and his wife again, get to know more members of the congregation, learn more about their beliefs and learn more from their experiences.

You may well have noticed, faithful reader, that just as there are variations in the way that Chanukah is celebrated, so there are variations in its spelling. In each of these three blog entries, I've spelled it as it appears on the invitation from the respective host community.

CELEBRATING CHANUKAH WITH LEICESTER HEBREW CONGREGATION

Leicester Town Hall

To the Town Hall this evening, for the annual Chanukah lighting ceremony hosted by Leicester Hebrew Congregation. Clare and I are among the last to arrive. Since the Council Chamber is pretty full, we have to find seats in the balcony. I've never been up there before, but we have a good view of proceedings from our place in the gods.

Council Chamber, Leicester Town Hall (photographed from the public balcony)

The programme is introduced by Tony Nelson, who represents the Leicester Hebrew Congregation on the Council of Faiths (of which he is the current Treasurer and past Vice Chair). Tony mentions two things that stand out most in the past year for the community: the physical attacks on the Rabbi's home, the Synagogue and Communal Hall; and the fact that the Synagogue has been put up for sale (all of which received prominent coverage in the media - and in this blog). He counters the negative tone of the former by crediting the Police and the other faith communities (particularly local Muslims) for their support. As regards the latter, he says that the community has really just been "testing the waters" by promoting the Synagogue for sale. While Tony is careful not to make it sound as if the crisis in their resources that has led to the Synagogue being put up for sale has been solved (he describes the community as being "asset-rich but cash-poor"), he does make it sound as if the sale is not a foregone conclusion. As tentative as this is, still you can feel a sense of relief in the meeting at his words.

Guests of honour on the platform this evening are Jon Ashworth MP and Cllr Robert Wan, Lord Mayor of Leicester. Also present are Deputy Mayor of Leicester Cllr Rory Palmer, City Councillors Susan Barton, Lucy Chaplin, Virginia Cleaver, Inderjit Gugnani, Rashmikant Joshi, Sundip Meghani, Lynn Moore, Barbara Potter, Manjula Sood (who is also, of course, Chair of Leicester Council of Faiths), Malcolm Unsworth and Ross Wilmott. From the county, there's Leader of Leicestershire County Council, David Parsons CC; Chair of Leicestershire County Council, Jackie Dickinson CC; Past Chair of Leicestershire County Council, Peter Osborne CC; Alan Bailey CC.

Jon Ashworth MP offers his greetings, congratulations and best wishes for Chanukah. Then we watch two video clips on the big screen: A Little Light and A Human Menorah.

Next Rabbi Yossi Jacobs. of Singers Hill Synagogue, Birmingham, speaks about Chanukah's message for our world today. Rabbi Jacobs is the youngest ever Chief Minister at Singers Hill - and he's from Glasgow, I'm pleased to note. He suggests dedicating each one of the lights in the eight days of Chanukah as follows:

1. to God
2. to parents
3. to spouses, children, family
4. to teachers, religious leaders, mentors
5. to the leaders of the world
6. to soldiers on the battlefield and their loved ones at home
7. to everyone gathered in this room and those who work for tolerance
8. to the children of the world

The children of the community always contribute something lively to the programme. This year it's Chanukah Bingo! They're rewarded for their efforts by receiving Chanukah gelt.

The key moment is, of course, the lighting of the large Menorah which dominates the platform. Rabbi Pink ascends the ladder, bearing the taper lit by the Lord Mayor (who, with a mind on Health and Safety, provides a steadying hand). All the speeches and activities are interspersed with traditional songs, led by Rabbi Pink.

Rabbi Pink lights the Menorah, the ladder supported by Cllr Robert Wan, Lord Mayor of Leicester

Speaking with the Lord Mayor during the reception after the formal programme has ended, I mention that I've taken notes from his speech for the blog. He graciously reaches into his inside jacket pocket and hands me the text of his speech. It's only when I unfold the pages several minutes later and read it that I discover  he's actually given me the text of his speech to the Thurnby Community Association Annual Christmas Dinner Dance. Since there's no date on it, for all I know, it's one he's still got to give - and he's in the process of leaving the building! I can imagine him standing up to give his address there and pulling out the text of his Chanukah speech. Thankfully, I catch up with Joseph, the Lord Mayor's assistant and we swap speeches so we both come away with the right pages. After all that effort, it's only right that I reproduce the Lord Mayor's speech in full:

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen 

I am privileged and delighted to be here with you all this evening for this communal lighting of the Menorah. 

The festivals here in Leicester are one of the city's great glories and I am very proud to represent the people of Leicester at the beginning of this eight day Festival of Lights. 

Hanukkah celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, of good over evil. As with all religious ceremonies, it is important, as well as enjoying them, to look to the truths they represent.

In a world where there seems to be much that is of the darkness - economic uncertainty, unemployment, war and violence - it is important that light and goodness should be seen to triumph. 

As we celebrate the triumph of good over evil in the defeat of Antiochus and the Rededication of the defiled Temple all those years ago, let us work for the triump of goodness and justice in our world today. 

Hannukah is also celebrated by the Jewish community in other ways. It is a time for giving and receiving of presents, of traditional games and also an occasion for enjoying traditional foods fried in oils. I am certainly looking forward to sampling the traditional doughnuts this evening. 

I would like to thank Rabbi Pink for inviting me to be here this evening and to be part of the festival that commemorates a momentous episode in Jewish history and to remind us that miracles come in all shapes and sizes. 

Thank you.

This is the first of three Chanukah celebrations to which I've been invited this week. I’ve also received invitations to Teshuvah Messianic Synagogue tomorrow evening and to the lighting of the public Menorah in Victoria Park with the Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation on Friday. If I'm able to attend those two, as well as having been here tonight, then I reckon I'll be the only person in Leicester to have done so.

You may well have noticed, faithful reader, that just as there are variations in the way that Chanukah is celebrated, so there are variations in its spelling. In each of these three blog entries, I've spelled it as it appears on the invitation from the respective host community.

TWEETIE PIE

I filmed a number of short video interviews with members of the Leicester Hebrew Congregation at the end of the Chanukah celebration in the Town Hall this evening. I then uploaded these videos to the Council of Faiths channel on YouTube. Since I've linked our YouTube and Twitter accounts, each time I upload a video, the fact that I have done so gets tweeted to each one of our followers. Leicester Council of Faiths has 130 followers on Twitter.

Shortly after I uploaded the first of these five videos about Chanukah (featuring Mike Jacobs), the Lord Mayor of Leicester, Cllr Colin Hall (who attended the Chanukah celebration) retweeted our announcement of its publication. For the uninitiated, "retweeting" is rather like "forwarding"; it is not done automatically, the account holder has to do it by choice. This means that the Lord Mayor chose to announce the availability of the video to his whole list of followers. The Lord Mayor of Leicester has 707 followers on Twitter - all of whom will have received his personal recommendation of this short video clips.

A few minutes later, another retweet, this time by Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent for The Times. The video she retweeted is of Rabbi Pink telling the story of the historical origin of Chanukah. Although Ruth Gledhill is a follower of the Council of Faiths twitterstream, she's never retweeted any of our posts before. Ruth Gledhill has 6,196 followers of her own on Twitter - all of whom will have received her personal recommendation of this short video clip.

Personal recommendations for material on our YouTube channel by our secular Lord Mayor and by the Religion Correspondent of The Times - I'd call that a result for Leicester Council of Faiths!

CHANUKAH LIGHTING AT TOWN HALL

To the Town Hall this evening, for the seventh annual celebration of Chanukah here. There's a good turnout and Council Chamber appears full.. Harry and Grace have come with me. There's a fairly lively 50-minute programme, introduced by Tony Nelson, who represents the Leicester Hebrew Congregation on the Council of Faiths (of which he is the current Vice Chair). There are upbeat contributions from David Parsons, Leader of Leicestershire County Council, and Cllr Colin Hall, Lord Mayor of Leicester.

We get to see two video presentations: one accompanies a rap entitled "I'm a Maccabee", performed vivaciously by two of Rabbi Pink's young sons; the other video presentation takes as its refrain the popular phrase, "Yes we can". During this one, I reflect on the nature of Chanukah as the principal occasion in the Jewish calendar when the community is encouraged to proclaim its identity and celebrate its qualities in the wider world - because they can. Made me think about how this week started, with me being asked for an inter faith response to the "Not Ashamed" campaign, led by former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Carey.

Oh, and I'd forgotten just how much singing goes along with this event - and all the clapping too! Honestly, my hands feel like they'd had six of the best by the end of the evening.

The central feature was the lighting of the lights on the giant menorah which dominated the platform by Rabbi Pink, perched precariously on a ladder, bearing the taper lit by the Lord Mayor. A few concerend whispers about health and safety drift by my ear ...

Latkes and pastries follow, much to the children's delight.

As the evening draws to a close, I manage to carry out five video interviews for the Council of Faiths YouTube channel. Harry joins in, making audio recordings at the same time on his phone. I had to tell him afterward that he was poking his phone a bit too close into the face of his subjects. He said he thought that might be the case when the Rabbi accidentally bumped into the phone while telling the story of the historical origins of Chanukah.