It’s a joy to light Hanukkah candles for eight straight nights, no question. But after the candles begin their burn, why not do something different this year?
Hanukkah, which begins on Sunday, Dec. 14, commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabee freedom fighters fought the Seleucid Empire in the second century BC and won. The temple menorah only had enough oil to last one day but is said to have lasted eight days, a miracle recalled today by lighting menorahs for eight nights.
The holiday, celebrated by eating fried foods, spinning dreidels and exchanging gifts, lends itself to creativity. Menorahs are works of art; dreidels, feats of engineering. The music is joyous and inspiring; the food, delicious and fattening.
Check out below the many local ways you can enjoy the festival or use our unique South Florida setting to inspire your own inventive approach to a very happy week.
Catch a meal at a kosher restaurant
Kosher restaurants close for most Jewish holidays, but Hanukkah is not one of them. We are fortunate to have so many kosher options in South Florida, and new restaurants are constantly opening, ranging from Middle Eastern to Eastern European. Treat the family to a night out this Hanukkah, before or after you light the candles.
Host a latke/doughnut fest
Hanukkah is a great excuse for a party, and the holiday’s focus on fried foods, in remembrance of the oil that is said to have burned for eight nights, makes for great creative possibilities. Invite friends and family for freshly made latkes and assemble a Latke Toppings Bar along your kitchen counter, filled with bowls of applesauce, sour cream, fruits, lox, chives, jams, guacamole, salsa and chocolate sauces.
Go crazy with the crafts
Hanukkah is a craft-oriented holiday, with plentiful ways available to make your own menorahs, greeting cards, stained-glass dreidels and even dreidel piñatas. The David Posnack Jewish Community Center in Davie is hosting a Hanukkah Craft & Culinary Event on Dec. 4 to celebrate the holiday, and it’s open to the public ($25). Register at dpjcc.org/events.
Buy locally made sweets
Norman Love Confections, a Florida-based chocolatier with stores in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, is offering a 2025 Hanukkah Collection of fun, Jewish-y flavored chocolates, including Cinnamon Rugelach, Berry Cheese Blintz, Black & White Cookies, and Sufganiyot (raspberry-filled doughnut ganache wrapped in a milk chocolate shell). A 10-piece gift box goes for $34. Go to normanloveconfections.com.
Invest in a cool menorah
Synagogue gift shops are a great way to support the local Jewish community, and they are selling some fabulous menorahs this year. At B’nai Torah Congregation in Boca Raton, there are menorahs by artists such as Michael Aram, who makes jewelry and sculptures inspired by nature, and the late Gary Rosenthal, who created Judaica such as mezuzahs and tzedakah boxes. There are also kids’ menorahs that draw youngsters to the holiday with colorful decorations, Hebrew letters and cartoon figures. Prices range from $40 to $250.
Get bookish
Read a book about Hanukkah with a child. PJ Library, a free Jewish book subscription service for kids, sent “Hanukkah Upside Down” (Harry N. Abrams; 2023) as its November offering. Here’s how the library describes the book, written by Elissa Brent Weissman with illustrations by Omer Hoffmann: “Noah lives in New York. Nora lives in New Zealand. Which cousin will have the world’s best Hanukkah?” There are local PJ Library communities in Broward and Palm Beach counties. For more information, go to pjlibrary.org.
Take a nature walk
Did you know many Israelis celebrate Hanukkah by taking a hike in the gorgeous cool winter weather? We can do the same in South Florida. For a list of 11 picturesque spots where you will see majestic trees, birds and maybe even owls, snakes, rabbits and alligators, go to SunSentinel.com/birds.
Joe Cavaretta / South Florida Sun Sentinel
A tricolored heron is seen in this file image at the Wakodahatchee Wetlands in Delray Beach. (Joe Cavaretta/South Florida Sun Sentinel)
Attend a public celebration
There are so many public gatherings scheduled this year. Here are just a few.
Delray Beach Chanukah Festival and Menorah Lighting
- When: 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14
- Where: Amphitheatre at Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach
- Cost: Free
- Information: delrayoldschoolsquare.com/events
Palm Beach Synagogue West Hanukkah Celebration
46th South Florida Chanukah Festival
- When: 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21
- Where: Rick Case Arena, 3051 Ray Ferrero Jr Blvd., Davie
- Cost: Tickets start at $20
- Information: chabadsouthbroward.com
