Public invited to start of Chanukah celebrations at legislature, lighting of 21-foot menorah

What is believed to be Alberta's largest menorah will be lit for the 31st time at the Alberta legislature on Sunday, the ceremony set to be just one part of an evening of activities the public is invited to participate in for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

"There's no question; Chanukah is a Jewish holiday. However, the message is very, very universal," Rabbi Ari Drelich told CTV News Edmonton ahead of the event.

"It's a time of celebration. It's a time to express freedom of religion and how proud we are that we're able to practice our religion here in this beautiful country called Canada."

According to Drelich, the 21-feet-tall, 6,500-pound menorah is only incidentally Alberta's largest.

"That happened, if you will, on its own," the rabbi said.

"Then again, the Schayers like to do everything biggest and best."

During an interview on Dec. 16, 2022, Rabbi Ari Drelich looks up to the top of the 21-foot menorah stationed at the Alberta legislature, where it will be lit for the start of Chanukah on Sunday, Dec. 18.

Some 30 years ago, Drelich became friends with the Schayer family, who had opened Acme Scrap Metal nearly 20 years before that.

"I know that around the world, already by then, there were these large menorahs that were being kindled in front of the White House, in front of the Eiffel Tower, you name it. And I said, 'Why should Edmonton be any different?'" Drelich recalled.

This was around the time Michael Schayer, who now helps run the Acme Scrap Metal, was celebrating his own bar mitzvah, so he can't recall exactly how the mammoth menorah was built.

But his parents were always very involved in the community, so it's no surprise that his dad took on organizing the project with Drelich.

Michael Schayer, who helps run his family's business Acme Scrap Metal, talks to CTV News Edmonton on Dec. 14, 2022. His dad partnered with Edmonton Rabbi Ari Drelich to organize the building of a 21-foot-tall menorah that is lit up at the Alberta legislature every year.

"He and Rabbi Ari had this idea and 30 years later, we're still here," Schayer recalled in a recent interview.

"I just hope we're doing this interview 30 years from now, saying the menorah is 60 years old by then. That'd be very cool."

Drelich is usually accompanied in lighting the servant candle (or lantern, in this case), located in the middle, as well as the first lantern for the first night of Chanukah.

In 2021, Alberta's then-premier Jason Kenney lit the servant lantern and the Oilers' Zach Hyman rode an industrial lift up with Drelich to light the first lantern.

Oilers player Zach Hyman lights the giant menorah at the Alberta legislature in Edmonton in 2021.

On Sunday, Lt.-Gov. Salma Lakhani will ignite the servant lantern and Drelich's son and 104.9 Virgin Radio host Mark Drelich will ignite the first lantern.

The free activities start with speeches and a performance by the Talmud Torah Choir at 4:30 p.m. in the rotunda and include crafts and snacks in the pedway later. More details are available online.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Matt Marshall and Evan Klippenstein