Georgian leaders hope for health, peace, welfare on Hanukkah

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili and Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili have sent kind wishes to the Jewish population of Georgia celebrating Hanukkah today.

Let the celebration of victory on darkness and renewal bring you health, welfare and peace”, President Zurabishvili wrote on Facebook.

PM Garibashvili has meanwhile hailed the millennia-old friendship between the Georgian and Jewish people wishing them a happy Hanukkah. 

The Jewish community – distinguished for their talent and diligence – is making an invaluable contribution [to Georgia]”, he said. 

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival of lights, symbolising the victory of good over evil and the importance of spirit, freedom and justice.

• Read more about the celebration of Hanukkah in Tbilisi from Agenda.ge's story 

Jewish people light one candle on the first day of the celebration and the number of candles increases by one each day so that there are nine candles (including Shamash, a helper candle) glittering in the candelabra (menorah) on the final day of Hanukkah.