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Lighting of the World's Largest Menorah
Lighting ceremony in 2023
Frequency	Annual
Location(s)	Grand Army Plaza, Manhattan
Years active	1977–present
Patron(s)	Lubavitch Youth Organization

The World's Largest Menorah is a public Hanukkah menorah located at Grand Army Plaza near Central Park in Manhattan, New York City. Standing 32 feet (9.75 meters) tall and weighing approximately 4,000 pounds (1,814 kilograms), it has been a prominent fixture in New York City's annual Hanukkah celebrations since its first lighting in 1977.

History

The public lighting of Hanukkah menorahs began in the 1970s, encouraged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who advocated for public displays of Jewish observance. In 1977, the Lubavitch Youth Organization erected the first public menorah in New York City at , near Central Park. The inaugural lighting was attended by Senator Jacob K. Javits and Rabbi Shmuel Butman, director of the Lubavitch Youth Organization, who were lifted by a Con Edison cherry picker to light the menorah. Thousands attended the event, marking New York City's first public Hanukkah menorah lighting.

In the mid-1980s, Atara Ciechanover proposed redesigning the menorah to create a more visually impactful structure. She collaborated with Israeli artist Yaacov Agam, who designed the current menorah with a structure inspired by the Rambam's depiction of the menorah in the Holy Temple. The new design was first lit on December 26, 1986. In 2006, the menorah was officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest menorah in the world.

Design

The menorah stands at 32 feet, the maximum height permitted by halakha for a kosher menorah. According to Jewish law, a menorah taller than this would not fulfill the mitzvah of publicizing the Hanukkah miracle because it would be too high to be seen and acknowledged by passersby.

The menorah is constructed from steel with a gold-colored finish. It features nine oil lamps—eight representing the nights of Hanukkah and a central shamash (helper light). Specially designed glass chimneys protect the flames from wind. Due to its height, Con Edison provides a crane to lift individuals for the lighting each night. In 2020, LED lights were added alongside the menorah's frame to honor New York City victims of the coronavirus pandemic.

Lighting ceremonies

The lighting ceremonies are held nightly throughout Hanukkah. These events are free and open to the public and include live music, traditional Hanukkah foods, and activities for attendees. Notable public officials, including Mayors Michael Bloomberg and Eric Adams, Governor Kathy Hochul, Senator Chuck Schumer, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Attorney General Robert Abrams, have participated in past ceremonies.

Due to the requirement in Jewish law that menorahs and Shabbat candles must be lit before sunset, Rabbi Shmuel Butman historically used a police escort and a private helicopter to return home to Crown Heights, Brooklyn, after lighting the menorah in Manhattan on Fridays. This arrangement has been in place since the inaugural lighting in 1977, though the police escort ended in 1991.

See also

• National Menorah

References

1. "Javits Helps Light Giant Menorah As Thousands Dance in Midtown". The New York Times. December 12, 1977. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
2. Roberts, Sam (August 14, 2024). "Rabbi Shmuel Butman, 81, a Brooklyn Voice of Ultra-Orthodox Jews, Is Dead". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
3. ^ Lernar, Dana. "The World's Largest Menorah". New York City: NYU Journalism Institute. Archived from the original on November 13, 2009. Retrieved December 21, 2009.
4. Margolin, Dovid (January 1, 2017). "The Woman Behind the Fifth Avenue Menorah". www.chabad.org. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
5. Ferré-Sadurní, Luis (December 3, 2018). "Menorah Lighting in Midtown Cuts Through Darkness of Rising Anti-Semitism". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
6. Sheehan, Kevin; Musumeci, Natalie (December 10, 2020). "Annual menorah lighting ceremonies kick off in NYC". Retrieved January 10, 2025.
7. Rahhal, Emily (December 19, 2024). "World's largest menorah arrives in Manhattan for holiday season". Pix 11.
8. "World's largest menorah to be lit by Jewish leaders, Mayor Adams on Hanukkah". ABC7 New York. December 11, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
9. New, Moshe (December 18, 2023). "New York Gov. Hochul Gets Personal at World's Largest Menorah-Lighting". www.chabad.org. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
10. Times, The New York (December 21, 1981). "Jim Wilson HANUKKAH FESTIVAL BEGINS". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
11. Anderson, Susan Heller; Dunlap, David W. (December 21, 1984). "NEW YORK DAY BY DAY; Rabbi's Quick Hop". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
12. Goldman, Ari L. (November 5, 1991). "Police End Annual Escort Of Hasidim for Hanukkah". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 10, 2025.

v t e Hanukkah חֲנֻכָּה
Traditions	Symbols Hanukkah menorah Dreidel (Sevivon) Gelt Public menorah Foods Biscochos Syrniki Fritas de prasa Latke Noodle latkes Sfenj Sufganiyah Buñuelos Music "Ma'oz Tzur (Rock of Ages)" "Haneirot Halalu (These lights)" "Odecha Ki Tovot Gamalta (I will Thank You)" "Ichlu Mashmanim (Eat Fattened Animals)" "I Have a Little Dreidel" "Oh Chanukah" "The Chanukah Song" "Erran Baron Cohen Presents: Songs in the Key of Hanukkah "Light One Candle" "Puppy for Hanukkah" The Hanukkah Sessions Films Eight Crazy Nights Full-Court Miracle The Hebrew Hammer In television "The One with the Holiday Armadillo" "A Rugrats Chanukah" Activities Festigal Latke–Hamantash Debate Other Thanksgivukkah Hallel Hanukkah bush Hanukkah Harry Mensch on a Bench Chrismukkah
Maccabean Revolt	Events Seleucid Empire Temple in Jerusalem Maccabees Hasmonean Kingdom Historical accounts Books of Maccabees (1 and 2) The War of the Jews Miracle of the cruse of oil People Mattathias John Simon Judas Eleazar Jonathan Antiochus IV Epiphanes Battles Ma'aleh Levona Beth Horon Emmaus Beth Zur Campaigns of 163 BC Beth Zechariah Adasa Elasa

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