Mini-sculpture “Hanukkah” became the 27th in the city Uzhgorod. This mini-masterpiece by Mikhail Kolodka was opened on the occasion of Jewish Holy Hanukkah on December 27, 2016 with celebrations in the presence of the Consul Hungarians in the city of Uzhgorod, Laszlo Vida and the Chairman of the Transcarpathian regional state administration.
Hanukkah is Jewish festival of lights, a celebration of candles that are lit Jews all over the world in honor of the miracle that occurred at the consecration castle after the victory of the Maccabean army over the army of king Antiochus in 164 BC. according to legend, entering the destroyed, desecrated temple in Jerusalem, the Jews found a small jar of oil, which was enough to maintain the fire for only one day. However, miraculously, the fire in the Golden temple menorah burned for eight days. Exactly as much as was required for the preparation of new, purified and consecrated oil. Since then, the fluttering light of candles, wonderful aromas, and faith in miracles bring a holiday to every Jewish home and remind of the courage and heroism of the ancestors of the Jewish people.
Placed this mini-sculpture near the former Jewish synagogues (modern Transcarpathian regional Philharmonic), which was built in 1904. On a plan the Austro-Hungarian architects Ludwig förster and Pridesa as the external, this building was quite magnificent artistic masterpiece. It was built from Italian materials in a pompous romantic style with Byzantine and Arab-Moorish motifs. Historians and architects claim that such synagogues in the Europe not. In 1947, the beautiful building of the Uzhgorod synagogue – was subordinated to the Ministry of culture of the USSR, then began a radical reconstruction.
An interesting legend associated with this mini-sculpture tells in his book “Uzhgorod – the world capital of mini-sculptures” Nadezhda Popadyuk. According to this legend, the spacious basement of the synagogue, one of the builders found unique mini sculpture Hanok (or menorah Hanukkah deviationa/lamp which is lit during the eight days of Hanukkah light), he managed to hide it from the KGB agents who at the time oversaw the renovation process of the building. At night, he quietly took the find out of the synagogue and hid it in his home.
The secret was only discovered when Ukraine became an independent state, the Builder’s family gave a mini-sculpture of Hanukkah to the city and it was installed on the railing next to the Philharmonic hall in honor of spiritual fortitude and the victory of Holiness over impurity, light over darkness, good over evil.