Zot Chanukah
Photo Essay: Israelis Light Candles on Last Night of Hanukkah 2025
Even though Hanukkah started with the horrific terror attack at Bondi beach, and we are all still reeling, we keep lighting our candles and keeping our Judaism alight and burning bright.
On the eighth and final night of Hanukkah, December 21, 2025, the land of Israel glowed with the full brilliance of the menorah, all eight candles ablaze alongside the shamash, symbolizing the complete miracle of light triumphing over darkness.
In a year shadowed by tragedy, including the shocking and deadly antisemitic attack on a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney just days earlier, these flames carried profound weight. Families gathered in homes across Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and beyond, reciting blessings and singing Maoz Tzur, while public ceremonies at the Western Wall and city squares drew crowds in quiet defiance and joyful affirmation.
The miracle commemorated, the small cruse of oil that burned for eight days in the rededicated Temple, resonates anew in the Jewish homeland: a testament to endurance, faith, and the unquenchable spirit of a people who, against all odds, continue to kindle light in the face of adversity.
As the candles burned brightly on this culminating night, they reminded us that Hanukkah's message is eternal: even in the darkest times, a single spark can illuminate the world.