Community Comes Together for Hanukkah Celebration at Westfield Hawthorn

Over 600 children, parents, grandparents, and mall shoppers joined together to celebrate, play, and discover the joys of Hanukkah at Westfield Hawthorn Mall this past Sunday, at Hanukkah Happenings, sponsored in partnership by JCC Chicago, JUF Young Families and PJ Library.

The annual event featured crafts, dreidel games, service project, a giant blue inflatable chair for family photos, and engaging, high-energy music and dancing with award-winning kid’s rock musician Jeanie B.

“Dozens of children spinning like dreidels in the middle of the mall; what a sight to see,” said Lawrence LeVine, JCC Chicago Manager of Family Programs.

For six years running, this free, community-wide event at Westfield Hawthorn Mall has delighted and engaged families and shoppers from all walks of life. Centrally located to attract and engage passers-by, the public-space event was conceived to connect and share in the joys of Hanukkah with the entire community, for a truly inclusive gathering of discovery, connection and genuine family fun.

“Jewish education, life, and community is built upon developing relationships; engagement is based on the discovery of common interests, challenges, values, and meaning,” said Patricia Nisenholz, JCC Early Childhood Family Engagement Educator. “By creating accessible ways to interact, enjoy and find meaning together within the dynamic beauty of Jewish life, we are better enabled to hear, understand and enter into relationships with those we hope to engage.”

As a highlight of the event each year, children have the opportunity to give back through a gemilut chasadim, “acts of loving-kindness” project. This year, families decorated Hanukkah centerpieces for seniors at CJE Senior Life. The activity teaches values which are universally important, generosity and being selfless, chesed, caring for others and kehillah, community, while also communicating the dynamic beauty and meaning that can be found by looking at those values through a Jewish lens.

“Celebrating Jewish life and tradition, strengthening family connections, and creating opportunities to strengthen community through connection and engagement is what JCC is all about,” said Alan Sataloff, CEO and General Director of JCC Chicago.

"Our playgroup is always looking for things to do; we decided to come to Hanukkah Happenings today so we could celebrate Hanukkah together!” said Abby K. (Deerfield).

Hanukkah is one of the most widely celebrated American Jewish holidays, enriched through festive family and community gatherings. Jewish people light menorahs, special candelabras, for eight days, as reminders of the Jewish struggle for religious freedom.

The eight days of Hanukkah begin this year JCC Chicago is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring a strong and vibrant Jewish life and community for generations to come. Bringing Jewish values to life for more than 24,000 participants, more than 1.4 million times each year, JCC Chicago touches, engages and connects all segments of the Jewish community at all ages and at all stages of life.

—Submitted by JCC Chicago.