Hundreds of families and community members came together to welcome the Jewish Festival of Lights at Hanukkah Happenings, a community celebration held Dec. 11 at Westfield Hawthorn Mall.
The yearly event attracts crowds of children and their families to the mall for a truly inclusive communal gathering. Shoppers from all walks of life, Jewish and not Jewish, joined together to celebrate, play and discover the joys of Hanukkah.
“This program brings the joy of Hanukkah to a public space, that’s not something you see every day,” said Laurie Goldberg, director of JCC Children, Family and Wellness. “The goal of this program is to bring together the community, and I think we’ve succeeded at that phenomenally.”
Children made Hanukkah crafts, played dreidel, and danced to the music of award-winning singer and songwriter, Susan Salidor. As a highlight of the event, children also made holiday cards for soldiers and residents at local nursing homes.
The program was co-sponsored by Jewish Community Center of Chicago (JCC Chicago), Jewish United Fund’s Joyfully Jewish Family Programs and The PJ Library.
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— Submitted by JCC Chicago
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