Jewish community's cliff site plans

From the archive, first published Tuesday 10th Apr 2007.

THE Jewish community is applying for permission to put up a giant menorah during Chanukah for the next ten years.

Southend and Westcliff Hebrew Congregation was given temporary permission to display a menorah - a giant candelabra with eight lights - for two weeks in December at the Cliffs Pavilion for the past three years.

The lighting of the menorah, pictured right, is always a significant part of Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Light.

Barbara Newman is now applying for a ten-year licence on behalf of the congregation.

She said: "We wanted to apply for a ten-year licence originally, but the council gave us temporary permission for three years and said let's just see how it goes.

"There has never been any trouble with residents. It will only be up for two weeks a year."

Jewish people have been celebrating the festival of Chanukah for hundreds of years.

It hails back to a time when they were told by Greek Syrians to rededicate their holy temple in Jerusalem to Greek gods.

They refused and later found a golden menorah in the temple.

During the period of Chanukah, Jewish people light a small menorah at home for eight consecutive days.