Hanukkah gets Israeli band to city shelter

MUMBAI: Children of Wadala's Don Bosco shelter received a merry introduction to the ongoing Jewish festival of con Don Bosco. Not only did they get to listen to one of the best Israeli musical bands but also received a bag of doughnuts and earned a dance with the consul general no less.
The Jewish community explains Hanukkah as the Israeli equivalent of Diwali given that it is the festival of lights.Each day a candle is lit to dispel darkness. The eight-day event marks the victory of good over evil. There are other parallels too. Heavy, oily foodstuff is part of the festival menu, and so is charity.
On Monday evening, third day of the season, Israeli consulate officials organized a special celebration at the shelter of the Don Bosco Shelter. Hebrew and English prayers were read on the occasion. "Each time we invite Israeli artistes to perform, we make sure to take them to the shelter apart from a performance at a mainstream theatre so that the privileged as well as the underprivileged become acquainted with the Israeli culture," said consul general Orna Sagiv.
Leading Israeli singer Idan Raichel arrived in the city to coincide with Hanukkah, so the Israelis decided to make a night of it. Idan brought the house down at Don Bosco with his band on Monday, prompting the consul general as well as the children to dance.
Doughnuts dripping oil that are an essential part of the Hanukkah feast were distributed to every child along with schoolbags that were more utilitarian.