31 SoCal Jewish organizations participate in ‘Hanukkah Homecoming Weekend’

To celebrate Hanukkah 5782, 31 Southern California Jewish organizations will join 230 other Jewish communities around the world.

Running Dec. 3 through Dec. 5, the program, called Hanukkah Homecoming Weekend, will see synagogues, JCCs, Hillels, schools, Federations and camps sharing and participating in Hanukkah programming, both in person and virtually. Each organization has carefully curated programming from celebrations, services, rituals and meals to festivals, community art projects, concerts and candle lightings. 

The program is organized by Ron Wolfson, fingerhut professor of education at American Jewish University. He told SoCal Jewish News the event was inspired by churches in the South during the 1800s that invented an annual “homecoming” event to reunite members and former members. Wolfson said he believed this format offered the perfect opportunity to bring different Jewish organizations and communities together for Hanukkah after a year of isolation due to the COVID-19 lockdowns.

“The leaders of every Jewish organization have done a miraculous job in keeping the community going these past 20 months,” Wolfson said. “If there’s one thing we’ve learned during the pandemic, [it’s that] a synagogue, a JCC, a Federation, a school, is not a building. It’s a community of relationships. Everyone felt it was critical to invite people to gather together — both onsite and online — to rededicate our communities, to turn the lights back on, to reunite around the light of Hanukkah.”

Helping Wolfson out on the advisory committee in Southern California are Jewish World Watch Co-Founder Janice Kamenir-Reznik, IKAR Rabbi Sharon Brous, and Executive Director Melissa Balaban, Pico Union Project founder Craig Taubman, President and Founder of Cayton Children’s Museum Esther Netter, and Valley Beth Shalom’s Rabbi Ed Feinstein.

Said Wolfson, “What I hope is that by connecting with a relational community, we will not only experience the joy of being together, but rededicate ourselves to our communities and to each other.” 

These are the SoCal organizations participating: 

Temple Aliyah, Woodland Hills; Temple Beth Am, Los Angeles; Temple Adat Shalom, Poway; Temple Ahavat Shalom, Northridge; Stephen Wise Temple, Los Angeles; Sinai Temple, Los Angeles; Shadik Technologies, Los Angeles; Shomrei Torah Synagogue, West Hills; Miller Introduction to Judaism Program , Los Angeles; Kripke Institute, Los Angeles; IKAR, Los Angeles; Hebrew Union College, Los Angeles; HaNefesh OC, Irvine; de Toledo High School, West Hills; Connecting Cultures for Peace,Los Angeles; Congregation Kol Ami, West Hollywood;  Congregation Beth Am, San Diego; Burbank Temple Emanu El, Burbank; Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles; BROEKMAN communications, Los Angeles; B’nai David-Judaea, Los Angeles; Beth Israel, San Diego; Congregation B’nai Israel, Tustin; Congregation Kol Ami, West Hollywood; Temple Beth David of San Gabriel Valley, Temple City; Temple Beth El, San Pedro; Temple Judea, Tarzana; Temple Shalom of the South Bay, Hermosa Beach; The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles; Valley Beth Shalom, Encino; and  Wilshire Blvd Temple, Los Angeles.

To find an event this Hanukkah click here.