Bulgarian Statesmen Honor Hanukkah

The Jewish community in Bulgaria held a solemn ceremony at the central Sofia synagogue Tuesday in celebration of major Jewish religious feast of Hanukkah.

The ceremony, organized by the Bulgarian Jews' organization Shalom on the seventh day of Hanukkah, was attended by Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev and Israel's ambassador to Bulgaria Shaul Kamisa-Raz.

As has been traditional in recent years, it was the Bulgarian President who lit the main Hanukkah candle for the ceremony.

In his address, Plevneliev sent a message calling for hope and humaneness even in times of darkness and trouble.

As part of the ritual, young people carrying torches ran from the synagogue to the Jewish Cultural Home in Sofia.

A separate ceremony was held Tuesday at Bulgaria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was attended by Bulgarian PM Plamen Oresharski and Foreign Affairs Minister Kristian Vigenin.