Beth Chayim Chadashim celebrates HanukkahFEST

Beth Chayim Chadashim (BCC) will celebrate Hanukkah this year with games, art projects and drag queen story time. On Saturday morning Dec. 4, community members can participate in HanukkahFest, a celebration that includes a story time hosted by drag queen Pickle, of West Hollywood public library’s Story Hour.

BCC also will collect canned food donations for a tzedakah project: building a Hanukkiah out of the cans and lighting electric tea lights on top of them. The cans will then be donated to the SOVA food pantry. 

Rae Antonoff Portnoy, BCC’s director of education, told SoCal Jewish News she’s excited to finally see families gather again in person. She’s also looking forward to people meeting Pickle. “She always brings a fantastic sense of humor and somehow manages to enchant everyone from toddlers to teens, which is no small feat.”

Pickle was the first reader for the Drag Queen Story Hour in Los Angeles. BCC welcomed her with open arms three years ago for HanukkahFEST and her story hour has since become a tradition. Pickle, who is not Jewish, told SoCal Jewish News she is humbled to collaborate with BCC and learn more about Jewish holidays and traditions.

“My favorite part of reading stories to kids and families in the community is that I get to share my love of reading and my love of self-expression,” she said. “Literacy is an important issue to me, so to be able to participate in a program that not only celebrates the joy of expression but also the joy of reading is an honor and a privilege.”

The free event is open to children 2-18 and their families, and will take place in BCC’s parking lot. Attendees must be masked. There is a suggested donation of $5-10 per non-BCC member family. RSVP by Nov. 29. You can RSVP here.