Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir and Avraham Feldman gave a speech. Mbl.is does not have the name of the woman who is with them.
Photo/The Jewish community in Iceland
The Jewish Community in Iceland held its annual Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony on
Laugavegur
this evening, for the eighth year in a row.
The ceremony took place in the shadow of a terrorist attack that targeted the Jewish community in Sydney. Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Þorgerður
Katrín
Gunnarsdóttir
, and Iceland’s rabbi, Avraham Feldman, addressed those attending the celebration.
Expressed support for the Jewish community
Gunnarsdóttir
expressed her support for the Jewish community and Jewish culture, and strongly condemned antisemitism. She also made specific reference to the attack in Sydney and took a clear stance against hatred and violence directed at Jews.
Darkness not only part of history books
In his speech, Feldman said that the attack in Sydney was a reminder that darkness is not only something found in the history books of the past, but is present in the modern world.
He emphasized the message of Hanukkah
— that light, even a small light, can drive away darkness, and that lights joined together stand against hatred and fear.
Finally, he expressed his sympathy for those affected by the attack in Sydney.
Thanks to the Mayor and Police
In a statement to mbl.is, the Jewish Community in Iceland also thanked Mayor
Hei
ða
Björg
Hilmisdóttir
and the City of Reykjavík for their support in holding the celebration, as well as the Capital Area Police for their assistance and good cooperation, both during the event and throughout the year.