NEW YORK CITY (TIP): The Consulate General of India, New York, celebrated the Indian – Jewish festival of re-dedication and the miracle of oil, Hanukkah, on Tuesday 23rd December, 2014. Several eminent members of the Indian, American and Israeli Jewish community came together for the occasion. This is the third year the Consulate has celebrated Hanukkah in the Indian – Jewish tradition.

The ceremony was opened by a lighting of the Menorah by Mr. Nissim Reuben of the American Jewish Community, Consul General Ambassador Dnyaneshwar Mulay, Deputy Consul General of Israel Mr. Amir Sagie, and Assemblyman Raj Mukherjee of the New Jersey Legislature. This was followed by a traditional Indian-Jewish invocation in Hebrew, and translated into English by Mr. Reuben and Mr. Sagie.

Ambassador Mulay welcomed the gathering for the third Hanukkah celebrations at the Consulate, and outlined the lesser-known history of the Jewish community in India, that had been living in relative isolation in India till the 17th century. He attributed their peaceful stay in the country to India’s values of religious tolerance and acceptance. Buzz Warren, chair of India Outreach, American Jewish Committee New Jersey was also present among the distinguished speakers at the ceremony. All speakers echoed sentiments of promoting peaceful co-existence and sustainable democracies free of terrorism in India, USA and Israel.

For the year of 2014, the eight day festival of Hanukkah began on 16 December and ended in the evening of 24 December. The festival is typically celebrated by lighting of the menorah and eating fried foods. The ceremony was followed by dinner and exchange of greetings.