hanukkah

Get your dreidels ready! This year, Hanukkah begins on the eve of Sunday, December 6 and ends on Monday, December 14. There are tons of celebrations to mark on your calendar and many craft ideas and recipes to enjoy with your kids. Read on for a sneak peek of the upcoming fun!

Recipes, Crafts and other Fun Stuff

 

  • Fill your kitchen with the mouthwatering aromas and flavors of Hanukkah with recipes from The Jewish Holiday Cookbook. Be sure to try the Savory Cheese Sofganiyot. Yum! 
  • Craving something sweet?? Try these tasty and easy-to-make Hanukkah desserts, which include: Marshmallow and Pretzel Stick Dreidels, Menorah Cupcakes and Monkey Bread. 
  • This have been called the “most amazing potato latke recipe ever” and it comes from Smitten Kitchen.
  • Enjoy Dreidel and Star of David cookies from The Little Daisy Bake Shop (622 Valley Rd, Montclair) that are also peanut/nut free. 
  • Get your Hanukkah groove on with these Maccabeats Hanukkah spin on current tunes.
  • The Concert Vault has created a music playlist of the best Jewish performers in the Vault. Check it out here.

 

Local & Other NJ Hanukkah Celebrations:

 

  • Community Candle Lightings sponsored by our community synagogues at
    • the Hinck Building (496 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair)
    • Sunday, December 6 – Congregation Shomrei Emunah at 4:45 p.m.
    • Monday, December 7 – Bnai Keshet at 6:00 p.m.
    • Tuesday, December 8 – Temple Ner Tamid at 6:00 p.m.
    • Wednesday, December 9 – Bnai Keshet at 5:45 p.m.
    • Thursday, December 10 – Temple Ner Tamid at 6:00 p.m.
    • Friday, December 11 – Congregation Shomrei Emunah at 3:45 p.m.
  • Sunday, December 6, The Bickford Theatre at Morris Museum will present A Season of Miracles by the Pushcart Players at 1:30 PM. This autism-friendly performance will feature holiday stories from different cultures including Christmas, Kwanzaa and Chanukah. This show is recommended for children ages 3-9. Tickets are available online.
  • Also on Sunday, December 6: The Chabad Center (194 Ratzer Road, Wayne,) is hosting a Glow in the Dark Chanukah Party with glow in the dark face painting, glow in the dark doughnuts, glow in the dark crafts and more from 3:00 – 5:00pm. To RSVP, call 973-694-6274 or email.                                                                                                                                                                                 
  • Another on Sunday, December 6:  Visit the Och Academy Lower School (122 Gregory Avenue,West Orange) for Israeli dancing and Hanukkah crafts for kids up to 5 years old. 10:30am – 11:30am For more information contact Mara Suskauer at msuskauer@goldaochacademy.org or at 973-602-3601.   
  • Sunday, December 6: the Jewish Federation of Greater Metrowest NJ will host a Chanukah Carnival at Dr. Albert Einstein Academy at 919 North Broad Street, Elizabeth, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. There will be a moon bounce and other activities for the family.
  • Monday, December 7: The Maplewood Jewish Center (113 Parker Avenue, Maplewood) is holding a Family Chanukah Celebration with children’s activities, buffet dinner and The Hoop Wizard show starting at 5:30pm. $10 per person, $30 per family RSVP and more information here  
  • Also on Monday December 7: The Union County Torah Center of Westfield (111 Laurel Place, Westfield) will host a Family Hanukkah Party from 6-7:30p.m. featuring Chaim and His Hannukah Show, a Hanukkah dinner with latkes, lasagna and baked ziti and crafts and games. The suggested donation is $5/person, ages 3 and under are free. Contact the Torah Center by phone at 908-789-5252 or email info@torahcenter.org or register online at www.torahcenter.org.
  • Wednesday, December 9: Shomrei Emunah (67 Park Street, Montclair) is hosting a Chanukah Family Celebration with latkes, jelly doughnuts, crafts and live music from 5:30 – 7:30pm. $10/family to be paid at the door. RSVP to Heather Brown at hbrown@shomrei.org or call 973-746-5031, ext 4. 
  • Also on Wednesday, December 9: Friendship Circle (10 Microlab Rd., Livingston) is hosting a Chanukah Wonderland from 5:30 – 7:00pm. Kids will enjoy decorating their own doughnut, arts & crafts, sand art, edible dreidels, a moon bounce and an olive oil press workshop. Dinner will also be served. $5 per child. To RSVP to etsyg@fcnj.com or call 973-251-0207.
  • Thursday, December 10: JCC West Essex (Maurice Levin Theater, Leon & Toby Cooperman JCC Building, 760 Northfield Ave, West Orange) will host a Klezmer music concert followed by latkes and sweet treats at 1:00pm. JCC Member: $6, Guest: $12. To RSVP, contact Susan Wallenstein at 973-530-3474 or at swallenstein@jccmetrowest.org. 
  • Friday, December 11: Bnai Keshet (99 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair) is hosting Latke-Palooza! with activities for kids, an ‘adult only’ BYOB space and latkes from 6:00 – 9:00p.m. 

  • Also on Friday, December 11: At Temple Sholom of West Essex (760 Pompton Avenue, Cedar Grove), Chris Mason and The Temple Sholom Musicians will sing and play instruments at the Hanukkah Family Shabbat Service starting at 6:30 p.m. 

  • Another on Friday, December 11: Hanukkah Shabbat at Ner Tamid (936 Broad Street, Bloomfield) will have music from the Kabbalat Shabbat Band, a communal candle lighting and a festive oneg with the TNT Ramblers. Starts at 8:00p.m. 
  • Saturday, December 12: The Union County Torah Center will sponsor a “Hanukkah on Ice” event at the Union Sports Arena in Union (Route 22W), from 6:30-8 p.m. Skate to Jewish music while watching a Menorah lighting in the center of the rink. Refreshments will be served. Cost is $10 per person, including skates. Reservations are not required. Call the Torah Center at 908-789-5252, email info@torahcenter.org or visit here for more information.
  • Don’t feel like going out? Enjoy the Hanukkah Show on Comcast Channel 96 brought to you by The Union County Torah Center. The show will air on Monday, Dec. 7 and Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7:30 p.m. 

For Hanukkah celebrations in Manhattan

  • December 7 – 14: Celebrate the Chanukah Art Festival at the Jewish Children’s Museum (792 Eastern Pkwy, Brooklyn). Kids will love the interactive Olive Pressing Workshop, a Silk-Screening Workshop, decorating their own donut and much more. On December 10, 13 and 14, kids can take part in live game shows and meet Judah Maccabee at the Grand Menorah Lighting. Program varies by day. See the calendar for a complete schedule. 
  • December 6 – 13: Come see the World’s Largest Menorah – a gold, 32-foot high and 4,000 pound menorah – at Grand Army Plaza (Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, NYC). Lightings generally take place at 5:30pm, 3:30 on Friday and 8:00pm on Saturday. 
  • Sunday, December 6: A Rocking Chanukah Celebration with Naomi Less and Her Band at the West End Synagogue (190 Amsterdam Avenue, NYC). This event will include crafts, a concert from Naomi Less, a menorah lighting, dreidels and latkes. Canned food donations will be donated to City Harvest. From 3:00- 6:00pm. Tickets: Online: $25/non-member families, $15 member families; At door: $35/non-member families, $25 member families. Register online or call 212-579-0777, 222. 
  • Monday, December 7: Chanukah on Ice at the Trump Wollman Rink (830 Fifth Avenue, NYC – in Central Park)
    Skate, enjoy live music by Ta Shma Orchestra, taste some complimentary food and enjoy the lighting of a giant ice menorah from 6:00 – 9:00p.m. Tickets: Online: $25/with skate rental; $18/without skate rental; free for children under 3; At door: $28 with skate rental/$20 without. 


However you celebrate, we wish you a Happy Hanukkah!

(Top photo: Flickr)

 

 

 

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