PJ Library Grandparents: Celebrating Chanukah

Chanukah Grandfriend event graphic

PJ Library Grandparents: Celebrating Chanukah

Chanukah begins on Wednesday, December 25th. For the following week, Jewish families around the world will gather to celebrate the Festival of Lights with latkes, dreidels, gifts, giving back and more.  You can join a community celebration or use our resources to create a celebration at home.  Chanukah ends at sundown on Thursday, January 2nd, 2025.

Grandparents make a huge difference in shaping the Jewish identity of successive generations, and we are so delighted that you enrolled your grandchild(ren) in PJ Library. We are creating resources and curated events that are great for building connections between grandparents and their grandchildren.

Chanukah comes at the darkest time of year—and so the illumination we add to the world each night by lighting the candles on the menorah is even more necessary. The light and warmth we emit can inspire others. There are so many ways to make Chanukah meaningful for your family and inspiring to the community.  Read on for tips to connect around the holiday and some suggested events for your family.

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Multigenerational Family Lighting a Menorah

Tips for Connecting Around Chanukah

  • Light the candles together at least one of the nights. If you can’t be there in person, light them via Skype, FaceTime or just the phone. Send a picture of your lit menorah to your grandchildren and ask their parents to send you one, too.
  • Use the 8 Chanukah Values to inspire learning each night—there are things to learn, ask, read and do around eight different Jewish values connected to the holiday.
  • Encourage a “Tzedakah Night” for one of the nights—instead of gifts, your grandchildren can pick a charity to support with the money that would have been spent on it. It can be an online donation or purchasing items (canned goods for a food bank or wool socks for those experiencing homelessness or blankets for an animal shelter) to donate.
  • If your daughter or son-in-law comes from another faith tradition, we have ideas to make the holidays more inclusive and welcoming. Many of these are based on my personal experience growing up interfaith and raising children who are “mostly Jewish but a little bit not Jewish” (their words).
  • Here’s a list of 8 Nights of Family Activities you could try.

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Chanukah candles

Chanukah Resources

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Family-Friendly Chanukah Events Cosponsored by PJ Library in Greater Washington

Religious School Information Sessions

Religious School Information Sessions

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Coffee & Browsing at Merry Pin

Thursday, February 20, 2025 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Prenatal and Postnatal Group for Parents and Parents-to-Be

Thursday, February 20, 2025 | 9:30 am - 10:30 am

Wheelchair Accessible

Yedid Nefesh Friday Evening Musican Service

Friday, February 21, 2025 | 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Friday Morning Brunch Bunch

Friday, February 21, 2025 | 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Congregation Etz Hayim Preschool Open House (Arlington, VA)

Friday, February 21, 2025 | 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Shabbat Family Jam with Morah Ariel

Saturday, February 22, 2025 | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wheelchair Accessible

Campfire S’mores Havdalah

Saturday, February 22, 2025 | 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm