Germany: Hanukkah ceremony at Brandenburg Gate honors victims of Sydney attack

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Israel’s Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Kalman Ber attend a public Hanukkah ceremony at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, on Sunday, December 14, 2025. During the event, the first candle of Hanukkah was lit with fire in front of the landmark, marking the beginning of the Jewish festival of lights. Participants observed a moment of remembrance for the victims of a deadly antisemitic attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, earlier the same day. Speakers emphasized solidarity with Jewish communities worldwide following the attack. The ceremony took place under heightened security in central Berlin.
Video Credit © Michael Kuenne/PRESSCOV/ZUMA Press