The Chabad menorah in downtown Sydney. Photo: Chabad.org.

JNS.org – Chabad-Lubavitch set up a 32-foot-tall Hanukkah menorah in downtown Sydney to commemorate the victims of the recent jihadist siege on the Australian city’s Lindt cafe.

The menorah—placed in Martin Square in Sydney’s central business district, where the terror attack occurred and the same site of Chabad’s annual public menorah for the last 30 years—was rededicated to the victims after community leaders and local authorities canceled a Dec. 18 Hanukkah celebration while the city recovered from the attack.

Two hostages were killed and four more were injured in the 16-hour siege on the cafe by Iranian jihadist Man Haron Monis. A sign placed at the foot of the menorah by Chabad reads, “The Jewish community of Australia expresses our deepest sympathy for the families of the Martin Place tragedy. May the lights of the festival of Chanukah bring comfort and warmth to our nation.”

“As we mourn the loss of life and the atrocity that has taken place, people of goodwill will continue to shine the light of freedom and communal harmony, which is what the Chanukah menorah is all about,” said Rabbi Elimelech Levy, the local Chabad emissary, according to Chabad.org.