President and Chief Rabbi light Chanukah candles

Prezydent Bronisław Komorowski (l;eft) with Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich at the Belweder Palace: photo - PAP/Paweł Supernak

During the ceremony, at the presidential residence, Belweder Palace in Warsaw, was also attended by chairman of the Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland, Piotr Kadlcik, Zvi Rav-Ner, Israel's ambassador to Poland, Jewish war veterans and youth, President Komorowski wished the Jewish community in Poland a "luminous and beautiful Chanukah".

Chanukah (or Hanukkah) is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.

2013 was a mixed year in Polish-Jewish relations with a state visit by President Komorowski to Israel in November and a trip to Poland in June by Israeli prime minister Benyamin Netanyahou.

The year was dominated however by the row over the ban on kosher 'ritual slaughter', imposed by Poland's Constitutional Court late last year - and upheld by parliament in 2013 - on grounds that the ancient practice contradicted animal rights legislation.

Chief rabbi Michael Schudrich called the ban "the worst moment in Polish-Jewish relations since the fall of communism". (pg)