President Margvelashvili lit the last honorary candle on Hanukkah

 President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelasvhili attended the event celebrating the last day of Jewish traditional fest Hanukkah on the Freedom Square.

While Margvelashvili was delivering his speech before he would light the candle, a group of orthodox believers including clergymen were expressing their protest from the distance being prevented to get closer to the Hanukkah celebrants. They were calling on the president loudly not to light that candle. Against the background of protesters slogans Margvelashvili lit the candle saying that traditionally, Jewish community welcomes only a respected guest to light the candle.

"I want to thank the Jewish community that they consider me to be a respected guest, President said. He  compared  the candle to the Jewish people themselves and said their joy is shared to each citizen since Jews have a very significant role in the countrys development. Recalling those Jews who left Georgia and returned back to Israeli, Margvelashvili said Georgia "is as much homeland for them, as Israeli.

The Hanukkah event in Freedom Square was attended by Georgian Jews and also, the Ambassador of Israel to Georgia Yuval Fuchs.

"Hanukkah is a celebration of miracle and the miracle that we have, a 26 centuries-old friendship, will continue in the future also, the ambassador said.

Hanukkah,also known as theFestival of LightsandFeast of Dedication, is an eight-dayJewish holidaycommemorating the re-dedication of theHoly Temple(the Second Temple) inJerusalemat the time of theMaccabean Revoltagainst theSeleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE.