Festivities will officially begin December 2 with the traditional lighting of the Menorah at the Synagogue in Launceston. 

The lighting ceremony will be open for the public to see at 6:30pm on Sunday at St John Street.

Rabbi of the Launceston Jewish community Yochanan Gordon said the event, and indeed Chanukah overall, is a great time for the community to come together and share in celebration.

“The idea of Chanukah is to spread outwards and therefore it's a time that the Jewish community actually opens up to the greater community,” Rabbi Gordon said.

“The Menorah lighting on Sunday the second is something that's inviting the entire Launceston and Tasmanian community, not just the Jewish community.”

Launceston has a small Jewish population, however Rabbi Gordon believes Chanukah is a great time for Jews to come together as well as share messages with the city as a whole.

Chanukah focuses around the message of light and that it is always be victorious over the dark, as well as the celebration of religious freedom.

Rabbi Gordon also believed that Chanukah is a time to celebrate what makes each person special, and said no person should feel forced to become something else that they are not.

“By showing one's proudness to be who they are that is the way to create that multicultural society that we live in today,” Rabbi Gordon said.

Another focus of Chanukah, according to Rabbi Gordon is the concept of doing more good every day of the holiday.

“Every night you light an extra candle adding extra light each time,” he said. 

“Yesterday you did a certain amount [of candle lighting], the next day, yesterday's amount is no good enough you could go further you could take that extra step. 

“The message of Chanukah is we've got to add more and that's why every year it gets bigger and bigger and that's why we do more programs and it spreads throughout the world.”

Many of the Chanukah celebrations in Tasmania are being ran through Chabad, a movement that seeks to connect Jewish communities all over the world during times of holiday.

Rabbi Gordon said Chabad aims to “reach people of all walks of life to get from every corner of the world sing love.”

“To bring people close to where they want to be and help each individual reach their service in God according to their service,” he said.

Further information about other Chabad events can be found at www.chabadtas.com.

While you're with us, did you know that you can now sign up to receive breaking news updates and daily headlines direct to your inbox. Sign up here.