120,000 of Chanukah Menorahs, candles and dreidels distributed by the ‘Rabbinical Centre of Europe’ in conjunction with the ‘European Jewish Association’ and the BASAD organization run by Rabbi Yehuda Reichman, have finally reached their destination after long transit, to many hundreds of Jewish communities across Europe, where thousands of European Jews will light them next week.

The incredible project began a month ago when a delivery of 120,000 Chanukah kits was shipped, to Kherson, St. Petersburg and towns in central western Ukraine as well as Denmark, Bratislava, Berlin, Odessa and the provincial towns, alongside Chernigov, Carpathian cities, Pravomysk in Ukraine, Sofia, Elmira, the Netherlands, Zhytomyr and many more towns. The kits contain Chanukah menorahs and candles for all the days of lighting the Channukah Menorah in their homes. By now the kits have reached small remote Jewish communities far from major Jewish centers, allowing every Jew to light and enunciate Chanukah candles in their homes. The grand project is run by The Deputy General- Director of the RCE, Rabbi Yosef Bainhaker.

Meanwhile, the ‘Rabbinical Centre of Europe,’ the ‘European Jewish Association’ and the BASAD organization plan to perform public candle lighting in various cities, which will be attended by a very small number of Jewish leaders who will light Chanukkah candles, next to non-Jewish leaders who will light the Shamash.

Each kit is designed and tailor made, containing 44 candles enough for lighting all 8 days, besides a brief leaflet ​​ explaining the essence of Hanukkah in different languages.

Enthusiastic responses from rabbis and members of the Jewish communities promptly arrived, exhibiting how necessary and helpful the kits are.

While preparations for the Menorah delivery were on the way, ‘Morasha’ Division of the RCE, led by Deputy Director General Rabbi Yosef Bainhaker, created a unique workshop including a multimedia game where children can produce the holiday story, besides another educational children’s game explaining all they need to know about the menorah and lighting. In addition, the kit includes an entertaining video about the production of oil from the olive till the bottle and concludes with an exciting game for the Chanukkah party.

For the past 5 years, RCE’s ‘Morasha’ division has produced awesome Jewish Holiday workshops for children, adapted for teachers, community Rabbis and educators by self-activation.

Since 2019 the division has distributed workshops tailored for each month. Each activity kit comes with 4 sessions on various topics of the month divided into an introductory game, a main activity and a personal craft to create and conclude with. Each session has an interactive animated video in Hebrew, English, French, Russian and German. The materials for the workshops include instruction booklets that incorporate all the activities for the leaders.

A skilled team translates the material into different languages ​​(English, French, German and Russian) , as managers  Mrs. Naama Oishie and Mrs. Mushka Mendelson produce all the various materials and create together a kit that is a fantastic match for the Jewish children in the Diaspora.

The kits are used by thousands of children of all ages in Sunday Schools and Jewish schools, as well as educational activities conducted by European Rabbis and Rebbetzins in the various Jewish communities. The kits are available in Hebrew, English, French, Russian and German.

The Chairman of the RCE and the “European Jewish Association” Rabbi Menachem Margolin said that these kits cause preparation for Jewish holidays throughout Europe, encourage and help Jewish communities, as they all feel very lonely in these unprecedented times, disabling them from leaving their homes as before the pandemic.

The Director General of the RCE Rabbi Arie Goldberg, noted that the early preparations for the holiday are indeed a tremendous assistance and cause the light to spread amongst the Jewish communities all over Europe.