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Ambassador Chigiyal attends Hanukah celebration

New York (FSM Permanent Mission to the United Nations): September 23, 2013 - The Permanent Representative of the Federated States of Micronesia to the United Nations, Ambassador Jane J. Chigiyal attended the "Festival of Lights" celebration Tuesday night (December 3, 2013) at the Neue Galerie New York. At the invitation of the President of the World Jewish Congress (WJC) and the Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations, Ambassador Chigiyal attended the event which celebrated the Jewish holiday of Hanukah with the lighting of the menorah.

Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, is celebrated for eight days beginning at sundown on Wednesday (November 27, 2013). This year, some are celebrating "Thansgivukkah" as Thanksgiving is celebrated at sundown after the first Hanukah candles are lit on Wednesday night.

The crowd gathered for the celebration consisting of UN diplomats; the UN Deputy Secretary-General; local and state dignitaries, members of the business and private sector and the Jewish community in New York were informed that according to some calculations the convergence of the two holidays (Thanksgiving and Hanukah)won't happen again for another 77,798 years.

Ambassador Chigiyal first attended the annual event when she was posted to the Permanent Mission of Micronesia to the United Nations in 2012. This year's event, however, became more special for the Ambassador as she was one of the privileged Ambassadors to be honored by lighting one of the seven candles of the menorah. In Judaism, the number seven has a profound meaning and represents good fortune and blessing. Ambassador Chigiyal joined a select few of Ambassadors - the Permanent Representatives of the Czech Republic, India and the Republic of Palau - to each light one of the seven candles at this year's event.

The menorah is one of the oldest symbols of the Jewish faith. It has been said that the menorah is a symbol of the nation of Israel and its mission to be "a light unto the nations." (Isaiah 42:6)