Chanukah
December 18 – 26, 2022
Sat, Dec 10 • 2:00 PM
Chamber Music at Rodeph Sholom presents: Classical, Klezmer , and Krakauer – a Musical Celebration for Chanukah
Join us for an evening of Brahms, Saint Saens, new Klezmer compositions, and Chanukah favorites!
Sat, Dec 17 • 10:00 AM
Shirenu Chanukah
This Chanukah celebration is designed to be accessible and sensitive to a variety of needs. There will be healthy snacks available (gelt too!) and the service will be ASL interpreted.
Sat, Dec 4 • 6:30 PM
Raise Up Our Menorahs: Havdalah & Musical Celebration
- IN-PERSON
Let’s light our chanukiot together at CRS to mark the end of Shabbat Chanukah. Your CRS clergy will make Havdalah filled with song and light for the week ahead.
8 Ways to Be a Light This Chanukah
Volunteer
Commit to volunteering before the end of 2022! Check out New York Cares, a platform that will allow you to sign up for a volunteer opportunity in NYC.
Act
Register to join us for Mitzvah Morning on MLK, Jr. Day, Monday, January 16) In partnership with Project Sunshine, we’ll put our hands to work packing activity kits for pediatric patients around the country.
Advocate
Political advocacy is one way we can make large-scale change. Check out the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism’s page on Activism & Advocacy. Choose an issue and write to an elected official.
Learn
Check out this list of 9 Social Justice Books to Read Right Now, courtesy of ReformJudaism.org. Commit to learning more about a justice issue in the world today.
Donate
Take time to talk with your family and friends about causes and issues you care about. What do you wish were different in the world today? Then research an organization that works on addressing these issues and make a financial contribution.
Share
New York Cares is also running a coat drive. Donate new or gently used coats, or purchase a coat for someone in need through their website.
Care
West Side Campaign Against Hunger, a longtime partner of CRS, is on a mission to alleviate hunger in New York City. In 2021, they distributed over 4 million pounds of food. Read more about how they care for all residents of New York City.
Celebrate
Light your Chanukah candles and display them proudly! Ask your neighbors and friends how they are celebrating their winter holidays (Winter holidays are celebrated around the world and by many religious traditions.)
Upcoming Chanukah Events
About the Holiday
Chanukah brings us light when we need it most, at the darkest time of the year. An eight-day respite in which we can feel a sense of renewal as we revel in the wondrous light of our chanukiot. We spin a dreidl, sing Ma’oz Tzur, and devour crispy maybe not-too-oily very delicious latkes. As each candle is progressively lit, we take a breath and allow ourselves to gain a little more hope. The darkness ebbs for now. We have made it to this moment to light the lights. We are comforted with the hope that joy is waiting for us and that brighter days are ahead. We celebrate!

Resources
The miracles of Chanukah are reflected in the traditions we carry out over the festival’s eight days. Every year these traditions honor the past even as we are inspired to create new traditions. As we celebrate our victory over cultural assimilation, it is always light that holds the deepest meaning. We light our candles and watch how the light is reflected in the smiling faces of our friends and family and in the window’s glass. Most importantly, we keep that light ever shining and growing in our hearts.
Holiday Resource from Sholom Sprouts for Families with Children Ages 0–3 ›
Light
Read Rabbi Ben Spratt’s Comments from The Chronicle December 2008
In the Talmud, one of the only early requirements for the celebration of Chanukah was to place the chanukiah in a window or a doorway, so that it could be seen by all who pass by. This is a core message in the rabbinic understanding of Chanukah that remains with us today. During these eight days of festivities, we are asked to claim our identity as Jews—the celebration of Chanukah is intimately linked to the outside world seeing us as Jews. But as we stand by our windows lighting our chanukiot, we are also given the opportunity to look outside and see those who live amongst us. We may see other chanukiot glowing in the apartment windows or we may see a string of Christmas lights. However, the message is the same—we all hold particular values and identities. But in these dark and cold days of winter, each of us can offer the light of hope to one another.
— Rabbi Ben Spratt, The Chronicle December 2008
Miracles
The Chanukah Miracle
When we think of Chanukah, what comes to mind first are the miracles of Chanukah: a small outnumbered band of passionate Maccabee fighters defeating a more powerful army, a drop of oil that lasts for eight days, and the enduring commitment of the Jewish people to survive and, by and by, to flourish. These miracles are reflected in the traditions we carry out over the festival’s eight days. We light candles on the chanukiah, eat latkes and sufganiyot, spin the dreidl, and give gifts.
The Miracle of our Community
We count on our congregation to be there for us, educating us, entertaining us, and inspiring us. It surely sustains us. It nurtures our minds and feeds our souls—radiating goodness, security, connection, and comfort. As the days grow darker and we begin to approach winter’s chill, it brings light into our lives where we can find warmth and peace of mind in the blessing of our incredible community. A miracle indeed.
Giving
Chanukah offers the ideal opportunity for all of us to share our blessings with those who need help. Here are some ways we can help those in need:
Donate to the CRS Food Drive
Feed the hungry. Throughout the year, donations to our CRS Food Drive help our neighbors get enough to eat. The money collected is distributed to West Side, local, and citywide organizations.
Support Homebound and Homeless Elders
Dorot extends a lifeline of support to homebound and homeless elders. Connect with older adults to form friendships, create intergenerational bonds and provide assistance. There are ways to help in person or from your home with one-time or recurring opportunities. To learn how you can volunteer, email volunteers@dorotusa.org.
Fight Poverty
Met Council is America’s largest Jewish charity dedicated to serving the needy, fighting poverty through comprehensive social services. Check out their website for the many ways you can help.
Cook, Bake, Eat, Drink
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Watch, Sing, Laugh
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Play
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
For the Kids
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Gift-Giving Ideas
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Get Inspired
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.