Synagogues Find Creative Ways to Celebrate Chanukkah

MIAMI, FL — A bunch of ladies at a North Miami synagogue are facing off in a Latke Throw-down.

College students from around Miami-Dade County racked up the gelt — chocolate money — at the Chanukasino.

And a group of children and adults will take to a skating rink in Kendall to celebrate Hanukkah on Wheels.

Those are only a few of the creative ways temples and Jewish organizations are celebrating Hanukkah — the festival of lights — which begins Dec. 21 and lasts for eight nights.

”The idea is to bring a positive message out to the community,” said Rabbi Yossi Harlig, who leads the Chabad Center of Kendall. “Everyone needs to see the light.”

From Homestead to Aventura and many places in between synagogues are coming up with new approaches to commemorate the reclaiming of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Maccabees.

In 165 B.C., the temple was looted and there was only enough oil to last for one day; but it miraculously lasted for eight nights.

Traditional celebrations include lighting a menorah, spinning dreidels and eating foods cooked in oil — such as the fried potato latkes.

Because the holiday coincides with Christmas this year, many groups are planning events on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, when most places are closed.

”There’s really nothing for Jews to do,” Harlig said. “So why not take advantage of that?”

Over the years, temples and Jewish organizations have put their own twists on tradition.

”We are constantly trying to compete with everyone’s everyday life,” said Howard Fleischer, executive director of Beth Torah in Northeast Miami-Dade. Beth Torah will host a Hanukkah Under the Stars event complete with a snow mountain. “We have to come up with things that are enticing enough for people to drop what they are doing and come to synagogue.”

North Miami Rabbi Jory Lang said most of the events are gimmicks to get people to synagogue — not that there’s anything wrong with that.

”Let’s be honest. None of the new fun ways to celebrate Hanukkah are tied to the tradition,” he said. “But we do it because it’s fun and it excites people.”

There are about 113,300 Jews living in Miami-Dade and 212,000 in Broward, according to a 2004 study by the University of Miami’s Jewish Demography Project.

Jacob Solomon, the president and chief executive officer for The Greater Miami Jewish Federation, said the holiday is a perfect way to strengthen community bonds.

He said Hanukkah — which is not considered one of the high holidays in Judaism — offers a chance for people to make their own traditions.

”It is one of those holidays where people can find their own meaning,” Solomon said.

His organization is using Hanukkah to inspire people to volunteer.

The Jewish Federation is sponsoring a day full of mitzvot — good deeds — on Christmas Day, including feeding the homeless and lighting the menorah with the elderly.

”Giving of oneself is a gift,” he said. “There is never too much of that.”

For Melissa Peron, who works with college students as part of Hillel Second Generation, said Chanukasino came out of a brainstorming session.

The event took place Dec. 4 at Hillel’s Aventura offices, and let students use the traditional chocolate gelt as gambling chips.

Peron said a casino night last year drew dozens of students so, everyone agreed to combine it with a Hanukkah event — hence the name.

”We needed to find a niche that would attract the younger students,” Peron said, who noted the event was held early because many students go home for the holidays. “People just want to have fun.”