Pollies’ Chanukah greetings
Prime Minister Scott Morrison: 'To the Jewish people of Australia — and around the world — Happy Chanukah!'
Scott Morrison
Prime Minister
Chanukah is a promise.
A promise that even through the most difficult times, a light will keep shining.
The timelessness and wisdom of faith teach us there will inevitably be times of testing in life. Times when the light flickers and when we are called to draw from our resilience and strength.
Collectively and individually, we have shared such times in recent years.
This year, as the shadow of COVID-19 restrictions recedes, your celebration of Chanukah will reflect another aspect of Australia’s opening up.
Families and communities will gather, loved ones separated will be reunited, and all will feel the strength that comes from community and connection.
This year, we will witness again the lighting of the menorah in homes, synagogues, and in our public squares. It is a witness not only of faith, but of the free, open and liberal democratic multicultural people that is Australia.
The light of the Chanukah menorah is also an invitation to dedicate ourselves again to adding light and warmth to the lives of others. It is an invitation to one and all, to drive out the darkness of prejudice, injustice and hatred.
On this Chanukah, I express my deep gratitude to the Jewish people of Australia. You are a gift to our nation for you always see the reflection of the image of the God in others.
To the Jewish people of Australia — and around the world — Happy Chanukah!
Anthony Albanese
Opposition Leader
On behalf of the Australian Labor Party, I wish all members of Australia’s Jewish community a very happy Chanukah.
May the menorahs fill your homes and synagogues with the warmest of glows during this festival of light, and may the many of you who have been separated from loved ones during this time of COVID-19 be able to come together once more.
If anything, the challenges of the pandemic have more deeply underscored just how much this is a time of celebration and gratitude, family and giving. Like so many Jewish holidays, it is also a time to reflect on a time when Jewish people faced not only persecution, but an existential threat just for being Jewish.
As ever, I send my deepest gratitude to the Australian Jewish community for the contribution you have made to the great Australian story that is our multicultural society. Just as you have played an integral role in shaping our nation into what it is today, you will be central in shaping a brighter and future for Australia after the pandemic.
Chag Urim Sameach.
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