Hanukkah Learning Lab & Checklist
My parents still have hanukkiyot from my childhood displayed on the shelves in our living room. Many years later, my memories of getting covered in glitter and glue while making these keepsakes hasn’t quite faded. I wanted to bring that same hands-on experience to our families at the Boston-Area Jewish Education Program BJEP. It felt full circle to watch our students and their families making their own hanukkiyot. With grandparents, parents, and siblings all joining in on the fun, it felt like we were making memories that they could one day reflect on. With a little bit of the “then” (Hanukkiyot made from tiles and lugnuts are still a hit!) and a little bit of the “now” (Making glow-in-the-dark slime is a very effective way to share the miracle of light and Hanukkah beyond the walls of BJEP!), our students have their own Hanukkah keepsakes to share with their families for years to come.
We got you covered with this checklist and ways to add more Hanukkah fun, food, music and stories ! And if extending the holiday well into December…!
- Right-to-left or left-to-right?! Confused about which way the candles go? JewishBoston shares this handy menorah-lighting guide!
- Get cozy with a book, a video, or a craft. Take your pick from PJ Library’s Hanukkah hub! We love this great list of books for interfaith families!
- Music! Bring this great new Hanukkah jam from the Maccabeats or the classic and catchy “Ocho Kandelikas” from Flory Jagoda, a phenomenal and prolific Sephardic singer, songwriter, guitarist and accordionist into your home tonight/this week.
- Recipe idea? JewishBoston.com has just the recipe for you, and then some. Choose from here, both sweet and even savory as a side dish for your latkes. Not in a cooking mood? They’ve got a list of great eateries in the area too! You might just need to extend the holiday.
- Window into Hanukkah stories around the globe: For our older grades, alum and caregivers, check out Facing the Flag, All Together, and Here and There stories, in this augmented reality app from Newton-based JArts Collaborative. Using your own smart phone as a “window” into the virtual world, enter the gallery and experience stories of Hanukkah from around the globe and throughout history. Find a bit of wow here
- Hanukkah is a holiday steeped in history, yet always evolving. Find stories, memories, photos, and thoughts on Hanukkah in Combined Jewish Philanthropies latest Then & Now stories, as submitted by members of our Greater Boston Jewish community.