OCU cleric lights Jewish menorah together with Chief Rabbi of Ukraine

Oleh Sknar (right) lighting the menorah together with the rabbi. Photo: Facebook Asman

On 29 December 2024, OCU "priest" Oleh Sknar, together with the Chief Rabbi of Ukraine, Moshe Reuven Asman, lit a Jewish menorah at the National Military Clinical Hospital in Kyiv, reports Moshe Reuven Asman on his Facebook page.

The rabbi wrote that he has been holding the ceremony at the hospital for the second consecutive year. According to him, this has become "more than a tradition".

"Hanukkah reminds us that even in the darkest times, there is room for light, which can dispel the darkness. We believe that the light of goodness, faith and hope will always prevail. And Ukraine will definitely achieve Victory," Asman assured.

In the comments to the rabbi's post, opinions among Ukrainians were divided. Some posted supportive emojis, while others expressed criticism.

"Hanukkah is a celebration of the armed victory of a small colony over a vast metropolis, which the then Orbans and Ficos were fawning over. And they were proud that they had 'chemistry' with Antioch," wrote Anton Vasylenko.

Serhiy Zaliubovsky wrote to the rabbi differently: "Your colleague in the trade, Ber Lazar in Moscow, also congratulates the Russians on Hanukkah, talking about the victory of light over darkness... :))) An interesting 'feast'."

Oleh Sknar is the rector of the Protection of the Theotokos Church of the OCU, located on the hospital grounds. He is a former priest of the UOC and voluntarily joined Dumenko’s church in 2019.

As reported by the UOJ, the OCU urged Ukrainians to convert to Judaism in order to achieve victory over Russia.

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