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Hailed by international media as “the most prominent public Chanukah event in the world” the annual lighting ceremony of the National Chanukah Menorah, on the Ellipse, just across from the White House, helps launch and strengthen the celebration of “Chanukah – Festival of Lights” in all 50 states and over 100 countries globally.
This lighting of the world’s largest menorah is viewed by tens of millions across the nation and around the world via news broadcasts and other media, many of them hundreds of miles from any Jewish community, which makes it very difficult for them to otherwise celebrate and enjoy Chanukah properly.
Prominent guests including the President, Vice President, members of the Cabinet, Congress and the diplomatic corps, as well as numerous senior Administration officials and international dignitaries and celebrities, have all attended and participated in annual lighting ceremonies of the National Menorah since it was first lit in 1979.
Indeed, this Menorah has become a national, even global symbol of the festival of Chanukah, bringing inspiration to many communities to sponsor even more public menorah lighting ceremonies of their own. After all, this is the essence of the celebration – to proclaim and celebrate the miracle of Chanukah – The Festival of Lights in the most public manner possible.
In this way, we reaffirm the celebration of our freedom, inspired by the historic and present victory of right over might, light over darkness, and understanding and justice over intolerance and bigotry.
Over the years, the following dignitaries have attended and participated in
the lighting ceremony of the National Menorah:
The President of the United States • The Vice President of the United States • The White House Chief of Staff • The Secretary of the Treasury • The Secretary of Defense • The Attorney General • The Secretary of Homeland Security • The Secretary of Interior • The Secretary of Agriculture • Director of the Office of Management and Budget • The United States Trade Representative • Director of the National Economic Council • Domestic Policy Advisor to the President • Senior Administration Officials • Senate and House Leadership, Committee Chairs and Members • Ambassadors of and to the United States
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