Mandell JCC Lights Up the Season With Free Chanukah Fun for the Whole Family; The Festivities Begin Tuesday, December 4, 2012

The Mandell JCC lights up the season with free events for the whole family, including readings, candle-lighting, tastings, and hands-on activities to celebrate Chanukah, the Jewish festival of lights, at various locations in Greater Hartford and at the Mandell JCC, Zachs Campus, 335 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT.

Chanukah 2012 begins at sundown on Saturday, December 8 with daily candle-lighting ceremonies, but the Mandell JCC sanctioned festivities begin several days early with holiday favorites from PJ Library of Greater Hartford, with two Chanukah PJ Library Storytimes, on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at The Toy Chest, 975 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT and Thursday, December 13 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., in the Chase Family Gallery at the Mandell JCC. On Thursday, December 6 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., bring the kids and join friends, neighbors, and classmates for a community Chanukah party at Big Tent Chanukah in Blue Back Square at the Annual Holiday Stroll, including crafts, songs, snacks, stories, and more. The celebration continues at the Wadsworth Atheneum, 600 Main Street, Hartford, CT, on Sunday, December 9 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., with Chanukah at the Festival of Trees and Traditions, a fun event for the whole family with crafts, PJ Library stories, and songs.

The festivities continue on Monday, December 10 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Chase Family Gallery at the Mandell JCC, with Edible Dreidels and Chanukah Crafts. Then, on Tuesday, December 11 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 pm, fun with food continues at the Latke Throwdown, where there will be sampling of traditional and new latke (potato pancake) recipes. On the fifth night of Chanukah, celebrate with family, donate a gift to a local child in need, and get into the spirit of the season at Fifth Night Chanukah Party on Wednesday, December 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Families in the Farmington Valley area can bring a new, unopened gift for a child in need to Fifth Night in the Valley from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and enjoy songs, crafts, and cupcakes, at the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center, 80 Fisher Drive, Avon. Wrap up the week on Friday, December 14 at 3:30 p.m. to light the Shabbat (Sabbath) candles and the Chanukah menorah at Shabbat and Chanukah.

For more information on the Mandell JCC’s free Chanukah events, contact the Member Services Center, 860-236-4571, or visit www.mandelljcc.org. For news and updates, follow the Mandell JCC on Facebook and Twitter.

The Mandell Jewish Community Center is open to everyone and supported by funds raised by the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, a recipient of funding from the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford, and a member of the JCC Association of North America. All dates and programs subject to change.