Starmer wishes Jews a happy Chanukah as festival coincides with Christmas

The festival is about ‘remembering the resilience of the Jewish people’, the Prime Minister said.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks during a reception to celebrate Chanukah at 10 Downing Street, London, on December 18 (Alistair Grant/PA) (PA Wire)

Sir Keir Starmer has wished British Jews a happy Chanukah, as the festival coincides with Christmas for the first time since 2005.

“Chanukah is a time for family, community and celebration. Chag Chanukah Sameach to Jewish communities in the UK and around the world,” the Prime Minister wrote in a post on X.

A video shared alongside the post showed extracts from a speech given by the Prime Minister earlier this month at Downing Street.

In it, he spoke about the importance of the Jewish festival of lights, and “remembering the resilience of the Jewish people and the values that underpin that, values of justice, of freedom and dignity”.

Sir Keir also stressed the need for a ceasefire in the conflict in the Middle East, but said the return of Israeli hostages must be “item number one” for such a peace deal.

Chanukah’s date changes every year, as its celebration follows a lunar calendar, though it always falls in November or December and lasts eight days.

The festival commemorates the more than 2,000-year-old recovery of Jerusalem by the Jews and the rededication of their temple.