Leeds Chanukah candle lighting tour adds ‘light to darkness’ for communities - and includes ceremonies at Harewood House and Elland Road

The ‘Lighting up Leeds’ tour began on the first night of Chanukah, December 10, with a lighting ceremony live on Facebook from Harewood House.

Albert Chait, the senior minister at the United Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in North Leeds is leading the tour and will go live on Facebook on each of the eight nights of the festival to allow people to join in with the candle lighting.

The event, which will finish on December 17 with a special lighting ceremony live pitch-side at Elland Road, aims at adding some ‘light to the darkness of this year’.

Mr Chait said: “More people observe Chanukah than other Jewish festivals and so for me this was a chance to help those who are by themselves at this special time of year.

“A lady messaged me today saying she was not seeing her family this Chanukah and before the service last night she had been dreading spending the first night of the festival by herself.

“Instead, she sat watching me on her screen and sang along with me and to hear that made me feel really emotional.

“I could have done a Facebook live from home each night but by going round Leeds to different locations I can remind people of their identity, give hope of being able to visit places again, and offer some light to put out the darkness.

“And what better message this year during Covid do you need than the fact that even a little bit of light can put out a lot of darkness and that we can all remain strong and remain together.”

During the tour, Chanukah lights will be lit from the UHC Synagogue on Shadwell Lane in Alwoodley, followed by at care home Donisthorpe Hall, on the stage at The Grand Theatre, at Leeds General Infirmary Hospital, inside the Merrion Centre and pitch-side at Leeds United’s Elland Road.

Mr Chait, who is also an NHS Chaplain, added: “It’s just absolutely amazing that the first performance taking place in the Grand Theatre after the pandemic will be a Jewish ceremony and I’ll be the first person who has sung on that stage since February.

“It just shows such a declaration of unity and the fact all these places are allowing Jewish ceremonies inside them is a sign of communities coming together.

“Last night at Harewood House I lit the Chanukah candles stood next to the biggest Christmas tree I have ever seen and it was absolutely wow that two cultures are side by side and embraced.

“And, dare I say it, but I can’t imagine that any other football team in the country or even the world has opened its doors to allow a Chanukah lighting ceremony pitch-side so what a thing for our Leeds football team to do for us.

“These places are opening their doors to the Jewish community and I feel more embraced than ever and so proud to live in Leeds.”

The ‘Lighting up Leeds’ tour is being sponsored by Dee and Edward Ziff and family.

Mr Chait has three children aged eight, four and three, and hopes the older two will join him for his candle lighting on some of the nights.

He said: "May the glimmer and glow of each candle we light, bring blessings, warmth and make our world ever bright."

Chanukah is a Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire and is also known as the Festival of Light.