Jewish Community Center invites public to Hanukkah Fest
Jewish Community Center invites public to Hanukkah Fest
Hanukkah — an eightday joyous holiday also known as the Festival of Lights — is marked by lighting candles in a menorah to celebrate the Jews’ victory over the Syrians in 165 B.C.
This year, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Tuesday, Dec. 12, and runs through Dec. 19.
And the Jewish Community Center of Greater Albuquerque is inviting the public to celebrate the holiday.
“This is one of our most lively and fun events of the year,” says Dave Simon, executive director of the JCC. “It’s a joyous festival open to the whole community. Hannukah is a holiday that celebrates religious tolerance and resilience.”
The festival will take place from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, at the JCC.
Simon says the event will feature delicious Jewish food, such as potato latkes, kosher hot dogs and desserts.
There will also be music and holiday shopping, along with contests, games and activities for kids and adults.
Simon says the JCC is always looking to add more events within the festival.
“This year, we will have an olive oil tasting and a ‘Jew Brews’ tasting for the adults,” he says.
“The olive oil tasting connects to the history of the holiday and the Hanukkah miracle. It’s when the lamp was to be relit and there was only enough oil for one day. The miracle is it burned for eight days. Then the beer tasting is something different for the adults. The beers are made by a brewery that are usually available on the East Coast.”
As with previous years, there will also be crafts for children, including a “Major League Dreidel” contest.
“The fest is a way for anyone to get a window into this holiday and Jewish customs around Hanukkah,” Simon says. “It’s an event that is open to everyone. People look forward to it, and it’s turned into a great community event over the last 15 years. We used to hold it off site for a few years. We realized the best way to have the community come see our center is to get them on site.”
To continue the holiday celebration, Simon says, the JCC is also presenting “Kindling the Lights,” a concert and Hanukkah celebration featuring The Rebbe’s Orkestra, on Dec. 16.
Tickets for the concert are $15 for JCC members, students and seniors, $18 general admission. Children under 12 will be admitted free. Tickets are available at jccabq.org or by calling 505-348-4500.