A monument to the victims of the Siege of Leningrad has been unveiled in Jerusalem

On January 23, 2020, a solemn unveiling ceremony for the "Memorial Candle" monument took place in Jerusalem. The event was held under the patronage of the President and at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the State of Israel, dedicating the monument to the heroic defenders and residents of Leningrad during the siege.

The ceremony was attended by President of Israel Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Lion, President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) Dr. Mikhail Mirilashvili, businessman and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center Viktor Vekselberg, President of the Russian Jewish Congress (RJC) Yuri Kanner, Chairman of the Jewish National Fund – Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael Daniel Atar, project initiator Leonid Litinecky, leaders of the World War II veterans community in Israel Avraham Grinzaid and Emilia Larina, foreign ambassadors to Israel, and other distinguished guests.

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu recalled that every attendee shared a personal tragedy stemming from the war and the Holocaust. He emphasized that no compromise can be made in the struggle against fanatical regimes. "We must stop them. We must clearly comprehend the threat they pose. The lessons of the Holocaust are not forgotten. The Jewish people now possess a strong state and a potent military. Those who threaten our destruction will face a swift and decisive response," the Prime Minister declared.

"One hundred and fifty thousand Jewish residents of Leningrad shared the city's tragedy; many took up arms, and approximately 70,000 perished. Today, over 1,300 survivors of the siege reside in Israel. We are profoundly grateful to these courageous individuals and honored that a monument dedicated to the heroism of the besieged residents of Leningrad has been erected in Israel's capital today," stated Dr. Mikhail Mirilashvili, President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, who was the first to support the project.

Funding for the monument was provided by the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC), the Russian Jewish Congress (RJC), businessman and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center Viktor Vekselberg, the Jewish National Fund — Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, and the Keren Hayesod foundation. The monument was erected with the support of the municipal authorities of Saint Petersburg and Jerusalem.

The initiative to create the "Memorial Candle" monument in Jerusalem originated from the WWII Veterans Association and the Association of Leningrad Siege Survivors in Israel. The design of the monument was a collaborative effort by two creative groups: an Israeli team led by architect Udi Kasif and sculptor Adam Peretz, and a Russian team headed by architects Anatoly and Lada Chernov, along with sculptor Vladislav Manachinsky. Both the Russian and Israeli sides participated in the fabrication and installation of the monument.

The "Memorial Candle" monument, situated on a prominent hill in the capital of Israel, is an 8.5-meter brass stele featuring a cast bronze insert that represents a candle flame. The illusion of a moving flame is achieved through its spiral design, and specialized night lighting creates the visual effect of an eternally burning candle.