Around 100 people gathered in Bern's town hall square on Tuesday evening to celebrate the Jewish festival of lights, known as Hanukkah. The event was overshadowed by the terror attack at Bondi Beach in Australia. "We are all shocked by the deadly attack on Jewish people in Sydney," said Marieke Kruit, mayor of Bern, in her speech. The Jewish Festival of Lights symbolises religious freedom and the hope that "even in dark times, a small light can make a big difference". +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox This is important because "we are experiencing that the shadows are getting longer", emphasised Kruit. Anti-Semitism is on the rise worldwide. This makes it all the more important not to look away, but to take a stand - and to bring light to places where darkness threatens to spread. The Rabbinate of the Jewish Community of Bern had invited guests to the celebration on Bern's town hall square. Representatives of other religious communities also took part. The ...
