Still looking for a Chanukah menorah lighting nearby? Thanks to the efforts of an Australian rabbi and one of the world’s largest collection of shopping malls, there might be one outside a department store near you.

Michael Gutman, managing director of the Westfield Group’s United Kingdom and Europe operations, says the growing initiative – which began in London and with the help of Rabbi Levi Wolff, a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary and chief rabbi of the Central Synagogue in Sydney, spread throughout the world – is part of the Australian property management firm’s desire to better connect with the many communities it serves.

Chanukah has become part of Westfield’s annual calendar, he explains. “That’s an exciting development.”

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With malls serving as modern day town centers and community centers, Gutman expects each of Westfield’s malls will match up with local Jewish communities in the way that works best for them.

“Westfield is proud to recognize the diversity and makeup of the communities in which we operate,” he says, “and to enable those communities to celebrate what makes them all unique.”

According to Wolff, each of Westfield’s more than 120 malls allows people who don’t necessarily associate with organized religion to embrace Chanukah. A menorah and a Chanukah celebration in the middle of a shopping mall exposes people of all backgrounds to Jewish tradition and the Chanukah message of good overcoming evil.

New to Westfield’s operating strategy is instructing its central managers to not only welcome area rabbis to hold Chanukah programming in its shopping centers, but to offer to sponsor the event as part of each center’s operating budget.

“The light that we’re kindling is going have a huge impact,” says Wolff, adding that Chanukah celebrations across the United States and Europe are benefitting from the project. Some locations are even offering shoppers picture opportunities with costumed Judah Maccabees.

Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky of Lubavitch World Headquarters coordinated the involvement of local rabbis in the project. His office is constantly on the lookout for ways to encourage business involvement in Jewish programs, and the Westfield initiative stood out as something that could have far-reaching impact.

He wants others to learn from the Westfield experience.

“It’s always nice to see people with connections in the business world using their influence to spread light and strengthen Judaism,” he says.

Rabbi Schneur Wilhelm, co-director of the Chabad Jewish Center of Milford, Conn., has done programs at the local Westfield mall before, switching off between the shopping center and a downtown property since 2007. He says having a Chanukah party at a mall draws a mix of celebrants and that the partnership has become integral to his programming. When he didn’t put in the official request to place a Chanukah menorah until late last year, the mall’s staff called him.

“They actually beat me to it,” he laughs.

Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, co-director of Chabad of Poway, Calif., ran out of free Chanukah candles within 15 minutes of setting up his booth at his local Westfield mall Tuesday night.

“We’re already swamped with people who couldn’t find candles in the local shopping center and couldn’t find menorahs,” he says. “I already had to put more candles on the table.”

His large Chanukah menorah stands in the main entrance of the mall, its spot for the past 25 years. Its accessibility offers something for everyone, from those who didn’t remember it was Chanukah to kids who are hungry for Jewish pride.

“When they see the menorah, they become so enthralled and so excited,” he explains. “It does something to them. They look at the menorah and they say, ‘That’s me. That’s my menorah. That’s my celebration.’ ”