Public Lighting, Chanukah, Sha'ar Binyamin, Israel

Last night I worked night shift at Yafiz, Rami Levi, Sha'ar Binyamin.  Considering that there's a synagogue in Rami Levi, discount supermarket, and they frequently announce that Mincha or Ma'ariv (Arvit), afternoon or night prayers, I was hoping/expecting a very nice public Chanukah Candle Lighting. 

I generally light candles (actually tiny oil pots) myself at home.  Many, many years ago I learned that women are also obligated to light the Chanukah "lights," so we've always had a wide variety and great number of Chanukiyot, Chanukah menorahs.  My husband prefers candles, and I light olive oil.

By the entrance to the Rami Levi-Yafiz area of Sha'ar Binyamin, there's now a large Chanukiyah.  Since I was stationed working in the outer part of Yafiz, I noticed a worker starting to light it.  There was no announcement.  Maybe they're afraid that the Jewish employees would desert their stations en masse.  I whipped out my camera when running over and managed to film most of it.



Here's the Chanukiyah lit for night #3.

Many of my fellow workers were disappointed to have missed it. Later on I was called to see the Chabad lighting just outside of the security gate to Rami Levi.

Even though I saw/heard the lights lit twice, I still felt I had to light at home.  If I hadn't been sleeping in my own home, I would have felt it sufficient to have heard the public lightings/brachot.