Official Hanukkah greetings issued by branches of the British and Irish governments were mocked online last week due to their backward Hebrew or odd transliterations of Hebrew.
The United Kingdom’s Attorney General’s Office issued a Hanukkah message last Wednesday with a seven-branched menorah wishing celebrants a transliterated “chag Hanukkah sameach” but the corresponding Hebrew script was written from left to right.
“Chamish Hakunach gach!” wrote the Attorney general’s office, before the post was deleted.
The Irish Foreign Ministry wrote in a social media post on Thursday that it wished a “very happy Hanukkah to all members of the Jewish Community in Ireland, and all who celebrate.”
“Cheag Sameach,” said the ministry, in a Hebrew transliteration mocked by X users.
The social media post was poorly received not only because it was seen as late for being published on the second day of Hanukkah, but also because the statement had come from the Foreign Ministry. Commentators questioned if the Irish government saw Irish Jews as foreigners.
A very happy #Hanukkah to all members of the Jewish Community in Ireland, and all who celebrate. Cheag Sameach. Hanukkah Shona Daoibh.
— Irish Foreign Ministry (@dfatirl) December 26, 2024
Controversy amid ongoing Israel-Ireland hostility
Hostility toward the Irish holiday greeting was fueled by ongoing diplomatic troubles between Israel and Ireland.
On December 15, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar decided to close the Israeli Embassy to Ireland in response to the Irish government’s positions on the Israel-Hamas War, including its intervention in South Africa’s International Court of Justice genocide case against Israel, in which Ireland called for the broadening of the definition of genocide.
Social media users argued last Thursday that the holiday greeting was a failed overture to the Jewish community during the diplomatic crisis.