World’s largest menorah returns to Central Park for Hanukkah
Credit: Chabad.org
The world’s largest menorah was lifted into place near Central Park on Wednesday, ahead of the start of Hanukkah. At the corner of Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, across from the Plaza Hotel, the 36-foot-tall menorah will be lit nightly from December 14 to 21 as part of the Jewish Festival of Lights. Each evening, the Lubavitch Youth Organization will host a lighting ceremony, complete with live music, dancing, and classic Hanukkah treats like donuts and chocolate gelt.
Hanukkah is an eight-day festival celebrating the victory of the Jewish people over the Syrian-Greeks in 164 BCE. The holiday is observed by lighting a menorah, an eight-branched candelabrum, for eight nights.
Designed by sculptor Yaacov Agam, the two-ton Central Park menorah is certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest and was inspired by a hand drawing by Maimonides of the original menorah in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
A New York City tradition since 1977, the menorah is part of a worldwide campaign launched in 1973 by Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, the Rebbe, to promote awareness and observance of the holiday.
Since then, Chabad-Lubavitch has brought the holiday around the world, with more than 15,000 large public menorahs set up this year in over 100 countries, including in front of landmarks like the White House, the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower, and Plymouth Rock.
“This year’s Chanukah celebrations take on even greater significance as we prepare to celebrate 250 years since America’s founding,” Rabbi Yossi Butman, organizer of the menorah on behalf of the Lubavitch Youth Organization, said.
“The Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, taught that the Menorah is a universal symbol of liberty, and holds an important place not only in Jewish life, but in the life of the American people.”
The Lubavitch Youth Organization first erected a large menorah in New York City in 1977, commissioning a company to weld pipes together for $5,000. After receiving permission from the city’s Parks Department, the menorah was installed in Manhattan’s Grand Army Plaza.
However, some felt the original menorah’s appearance didn’t reflect the holiday’s grandeur. In 1985, designer and architect Atara Chiechanover believed it fell short of the Rebbe’s vision of spreading Chanukah’s message of religious freedom. Familiar with the Rebbe, she shared her concerns and presented a new design concept for the menorah.
During their discussion, Schneerson said he preferred a design closer to the original menorah from the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. Chiechanover then consulted longtime friend and artist Yaacov Agam, who accepted the commission with excitement, though also some hesitation due to its complexity.
After its creation and a few final design tweaks approved by the Rebbe, the new menorah was erected in Grand Army Plaza on Friday, December 26, 1986. This year marks its 30th year in use.
Another massive menorah will be lit at the entrance of Prospect Park this holiday. Chabad of Park Slope will provide live music, hot latkes, and gifts for children each night of Hanukkah, beginning on Sunday, December 14, at 4 p.m. at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. Learn more and see the menorah lighting times for 2025 here.
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