John Culatto
THE youngest children from one of Gibraltar’s government schools learnt about the Jewish festival of Hanukkah from Year 3 pupils of the Hebrew primary schools.
Reception age children of St Paul’s School discovered about the significance of the hannukiah candle set and sufganiyot jam doughnut that represent the eight-day feast.
The children of St Paul’s school visited visited the Hebrew Primary School ‘to provide more real and meaningful learning experiences,’ the Gibraltar government said in a statement.
It said that they ‘participated in multi-sensory and hands-on activities which were kindly organised and led by the Year 3 pupils’.
“They also delivered a short assembly and supported the children in decorating some delicious doughnuts,” a government spokesperson said.
“This collaborative experience between both schools was thoroughly enjoyed by all involved,” the spokesperson added.
Jewish people all over the world recall the recovery of Jerusalem at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt in the second century BCE rebellion against the Seleucid Empire in the Hanukkah feast.
It starts this year at nightfall on December 7 when they light the first candle.
Families light the last candles on December 14 and the feast concludes on December 15.
But it can fall at any time in November or December as it goes by the Jewish calendar date of 25 Kislev.
The visit of the children comes at a time of growing antisemitism around the world following the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.
Gibraltar’s government has staunchly supported the Israeli government after the Hamas surprise attack that killed 1,200 people on October 7.
It lit up its own Moorish Castle in Israeli colours immediately after winning the October 12 election.
Religious and secular leaders more recently issued a call for peace at a meeting in No.6 Convent Place.
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