Hanukkah begins at sundown on Sunday, Dec. 2. There are many celebrations happening:
THE VALLEY
Bless the Pets Event (Sun Dec. 2). Noon. Free; please bring a donation for animal rescue groups – food, towels, leashes, toys, etc. Have all your pets blessed by Rabbi Schneider and get your picture taken with them, too! Enjoy activities for people of all ages including a free BBQ lunch, a horse to pet, rescue animals to play with & adoption information, vendor tables, mitzvah and craft projects. Information tables by animal organizations will also be present. Temple Kol Ami, 15030 N. 64th St., Scottsdale. templekolami.org
Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Gelt Drop (Sun Dec. 2). 3:30 pm. Free. Features a giant menorah lighting, ventriloquist show, gelt drop, latkes and donuts. Superstition Springs Center, 6555 E. Southern Ave., Mesa. chabadmesa.com
Chanukah on the Lawn (Sun Dec. 2). 4:30-6:30 pm. Free. Visit the Chanukah wonderland with crafts, treats and an interactive bubble show. Menorah lighting at 5:30 pm. Biltmore Fashion Park, 2502 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. chabadaz.com
Grand Menorah Lighting (Sun Dec. 2). 5 pm. Free. Enjoy a menorah lighting with soup, latkes, kids crafts, entertainment and more. Help build a giant coin menorah. Osborne Jewelers, 15350 W. McDowell Road, Goodyear. jewishgoodyear.com
City-Wide Menorah Lighting (Mon Dec. 3). 6 pm. Free. Features the Great Chocolate Gelt Drop, latkes, donuts, music and more. SanTan Village, 2218 E. Williams Field Road, Gilbert. jewishgilbert.com
Grand Menorah Lighting (Mon Dec. 3). 6-7:30 pm. Free. Fun for the whole family with a menorah lighting, activities, latkes and more. High Street, 5415 E. High St., Phoenix. facebook.com/events/947878265408181/
Menorah Car Parade (Tues Dec. 4). 5 pm. Free. Event starts with a menorah lighting at Wesley Bolin Memorial Park followed by a parade of decorated cars. Food, entertainment and a bounce house after parade at Chabad Center. chabadaz.com
West Valley Menorah Lighting (Wed Dec. 5). 5 pm. Free. Celebrate Chanukah with menorah lighting, activities, raffles, games and live entertainment. Traditional latkes, hot cocoa & cider will be served. westgateaz.com/holiday/
Grand Popcorn Menorah Lighting & Celebration (Wed Dec. 5). 5:30 pm. Free. Features eight branches of popcorn flavors, speakers, menorah competition and music by the Desert Jewish Academy choir. Phoenix Premium Outlets, 4976 Premium Outlets Way, Chandler. chabadcenter.com
Queen Creek Menorah Lighting (Wed Dec. 5). 6 pm. Free. Event featuring donuts, latkes, music and gifts for children. Queen Creek Library, 21802 S. Ellsworth Road, Queen Creek. jewishgilbert.com
Hanukkah Story Time at Modern Milk (Thurs Dec. 6). 10:30 am. Free. Join PJ Library for Hanukkah-themed fun with storytime, crafts, cookies and a snack. For ages 5 & under with a parent or guardian. Modern Milk Scottsdale, 13802 N. Scottsdale Road #162, Scottsdale. vosjcc.org
Spinning Shabbat with Seniors (Fri Dec. 7). 11 am-noon. Free. Share a special Hanukkah Shabbat with seniors, songs, stories, snacks and crafts. JFCS Center for Senior Enrichment at The Palazzo, 6250 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix. Registration required by Thursday Dec. 6 at vosjcc.org/seniorshabbat.
Hanukkah ShabbatLuck (Fri Dec. 7). 6:30-9:30 pm. Free. There will be an optional White Elephant Gift Exchange. Please bring a gift if you would like to participate. Make sure to indicate on the form what you are bringing. Location: Central Phoenix, just north of downtown. (Location will be revealed by email after signing up) Please note that this event is open to ALL AGES, and children are welcome. azschmooze.com
December Post Meeting & Chanukah Party (Sun Dec. 9). 10 am. Free. Veterans and friends are welcome to enjoy latkes, donuts, guest speakers, choir performance and more. AZ State Veterans Home, 4141 N. S. Herrera Way, Phoenix. For more information, call 602-218-0353.
Little Scientists STEAM Series – Chanukah Creations (Sun Dec. 9). 10-11:30 am. Enjoy STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) activities as well as storytime. For ages 3-5, accompanied by an adult. Pardes Jewish Day School, 12753 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. RSVP to pardesschool.org.
Chanukah on Ice (Sun Dec. 9). 11 am-1 pm. $10/person. Featuring live ice menorah carving, ice skating, Israeli-style buffet lunch and crafts. AZ Ice Gilbert, 2305 E. Knox Road, Gilbert. jewishgilbert.com
Hanukkah Story Time at Native Grill (Sun Dec. 9). 5-7 pm. Come light the last candle with PJ Library at Native Grill in Chandler. Storytime and crafts provided. Native Grill will donate 15% of food sales back to PJ Library. 2110 S. Gilbert Road, Chandler. vosjcc.org
Chanukah Character Breakfast at The J (Tues Dec. 25). 9-11 am. Spend a family-friendly morning at The J with your favorite Incredibles characters while you enjoy pancakes, crafts and a few surprises. Members: $25 per family; Guests: $40 per family up to 4 people; additional $5 per person. Children under 12 months are free. Information and registration: vosjcc.org/incredibles.
TUCSON
Hanukkah Hot Chocolate Run (Sun Dec. 2). 8 -10 am. $10-$30. Start the holidays off right with some exercise…with a treat at the end! Join us at The J for the very first Holiday Fun Run Series and participate in a 5K or 1K Run/Walk. The 5k will be a timed run/walk, while the 1K is a non-timed fun run that you can run or walk, starting in our sculpture garden. We encourage participants to bring the family. The 5K is FREE for kids 6 and under with registered parent (shirt not included). Tucson JCC, 3800 E. River Road, Tucson. tucsonjcc.org
Menorah Lighting Downtown Tucson (Sun Dec. 2). 5-6 pm. Free. Join the 36th annual lighting of Tucson’s tallest Chanukah Menorah at El Presidio Park. Enjoy holiday treats, songs, and good times at this Tucson tradition. All welcome. El Presidio Park, 160 W. Alameda St., Tucson. chabadtucson.com
Grand Menorah Lighting on the Mall (Sun Dec. 2). 5:30-7:30 pm. Free. U of A Chabad invites you to a public menorah lighting on the U of A Mall! Features menorah lighting, latkes, menorah kits and Chanukah songs. facebook.com/events/2222703084673787/
Community Chanukah Party (Thur Dec. 6). 5 pm. Free. Watch the firemen scatter chocolate coin from atop their ladder! Our 7th annual Northwest Tucson Chanukah celebration always includes our giant 9-foot Menorah, music, hot latkes, fresh donuts, free photo booth and fun for the whole family! Oro Valley Public Library, 1305 W. Naranja Dr., Tucson. jewishorovalley.com
100 Menorah Celebration and Friday Night Live! (Fri Dec. 7). 5:45-7:30 pm. Free. Bring families and friends and join us as we celebrate Shabbat and Chanukah with food, fun, prayers and songs. Begin with a Latke Nosh at 5:45 pm and service starting at 6:30 pm. St. Francis in the Foothills Celebration Center, 4625 E. River Road, Tucson. orchadash-tucson.org
Chanukah Cantata (Sat Dec. 8). 7:30-9:30 pm. The Chanukah Cantata is a sweeping retelling of the Chanukah story, taken from Jewish texts both ancient and modern, and set in a lively and accessible musical style. Cantors and soloists from seven of Tucson’s congregations come together to sing this new, large-scale work for soloists, choir and orchestra, in a performance jointly presented by the congregations, the Tucson J, and the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona. They will be joined by the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, as well as members of the congregational choirs. A second act will feature the soloists performing some of their favorite repertoire, as well as some traditional Chanukah music. Tucson Jewish Communiyt Center, 3800 E. River Road, Tucson. tucsonjcc.org
Northwest Family Chanukah Party (Sun Dec. 9). 4-5:30 pm. Free. Join us for an evening of family fun during our very special Northwest community Chanukah party! Come and eat latkes, play dreidel, and sing songs. Enjoy a special Chanukah performance by the Tucson Hebrew Academy choir. Bring along your menorahs for the Northwest community-wide menorah lighting as we celebrate the last night of Chanukah together. Students from THA will be selling latkes to take home to raise money for their trip to Israel. Northwest Division Office, 190 W. Magee Road #162, Oro Valley. jfsa.org/nwchanukahparty
Hanukkah & The Chocolate Factory (Sun Dec. 9). 6-8 pm. $13 per person. Everyone is welcome to join us on the 8th Night of Hanukkah! We’ll have a “scrumdiddlyumptious” dinner buffet with “Oompa Loompa” latkes, a chocolate fountain with sufganiyot, and non-alcoholic “Fizzy Lifting” drinks. There’ll be “Golden” tickets hidden in chocolate gelt with prizes for the winners; dreidel games and activity stations for the kids; and lighting the hanukkiah (bring your own if you’d like). Throughout the evening, we’ll show Hanukkah YouTube videos and Cantorial Soloist Nichole Chorny will lead a sing-a-long. caiaz.org
