Twin Cities Chanukah Event Guide

Happy Chanukah, Twin Cities! Chanukah starts on December 6th, and we know you are looking for cool ways to celebrate, nosh and have some family fun. This year, our calendar is chock-full of parties and events to bring your family and friends to, or maybe meet some new peeps along the way. If you know of an event not listed here, please add it to our calendar!

December 1

Light Lessons

7:00 p.m.– 8:30 p.m. Friends Meeting House, 4401 York Ave S, Minneapolis

Explore Chanukah texts that address themes of light and darkness and discover what we can learn about the need to illuminate our inner and outer worlds. For further information, contact [email protected] or 612-247-5490.

December 6

The Chanukah Guest

1:00 p.m. – 2 p.m. $18.

Celebrate the holiday season with Bubba Brayna, her beloved grandchild, and a very unexpected (and hungry!) visitor. This charming, heartwarming, and festive tale of mistaken identity will delight young and old alike.  Ages 3+. Running December 6-22. For further information, contact [email protected] or 651-647-4315

Chanukah Party at Talmud Torah of St. Paul

2:00 p.m. – 4 p.m. Free

Join the Talmud Torah of St. Paul for latkes, holiday games, crafts and a live performance by the Chai Notes! For further information, contact [email protected] or 651-698-8807

Menorah Workshop

12:30 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. Free.

An event for children and the young at heart! Make your own Menorah at the Home Depot of Eagan.

Hanukah Family Sunday

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Beth Jacob Congregation.

Families and kids of all ages are invited to celebrate Hanukkah at Beth Jacob with Fun, Food, and Mad Science!!  Mad Science returns for a jaw dropping demonstration about light for this Festival of Lights.  PJ Library is co-sponsoring and will have fun Hanukah activities.  Dreidels, sufganiot, and other Hanukah treats for everyone! For further information, contact [email protected] or 651-452-2226

Chanukah Wonderland

5:30-7:30 p.m. Lunds & Byerlys St. Louis Park. 

Make your own menorah using bullet shells! chanukah crafts, culinary art and face painting!

Bet Shalom Yeladim Tot Chanukah Party

11:30 a.m. — 1:00 p.m.

Join us for a potluck, music, dreidel, art projects and more! Geared for families with children age 6 and younger. For more information, contact Amber Brumbaugh at 952-426-6652 or [email protected].

Chopped: Latke Edition

6:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Beth Jacob 20s & 30s Community

This year we’re upping the ante with Chopped: Latke Edition. Each team will be given a mystery basket of ingredients and will be charged with the task of making a tasty Hanukkah treat (hopefully in latke form). Don’t worry–each team will be snuck a recipe and will have a leader. We’re looking for leaders for each of the four teams. For further information, contact [email protected]

December 11

Young Families Shabbanukkah Dinner at Beth El

5:30pm Family Service | 6:00 Hanukkah Shabbat Dinner | 6:30 Children’s Activity

$7 per child (ages 10 and under) and $14 per adult.

Bring the WHOLE family and friends for a delicious chicken dinner (with vegetarian options available), delicious potato latkes, and yummy sufganiyot! Plus lots of singing and ruach! For more information, contact Jen MacDonald: [email protected] or call us at (952) 873-7320. If cost is a concern, please contact Karen Burton at the number above.

Please RSVP by Dec. 4.

December 12

Light up the Night: A Special Hanukah Celebration

6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. St. Paul JCC

Celebrate Hanukah with a glow-in-the-dark dance, light-up activities, and a community candle lighting. For more information, contact [email protected] or 651-255-4736

Light up the Night 21+ Celebration — The he Promised Land: The Grateful Dead/Jerry Garcia Hebrew Project

7:45 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. St. Paul JCC. $5

Ami Yares is a New Jersey-born, Jaffa-living, world traveling folk musician with a knack for making physically, spiritually, and politically moving music. Sagol 59, Khen Rotem, is an Israeli artist and rapper.  Sagol and Ami collaborated on the 2015 album The Promised Land: The Grateful Dead / Jerry Garcia Hebrew Project, featuring Hebrew covers of songs by The Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia. It is the first ever album of Hebrew versions of Grateful Dead songs. Vodka & latkes after the concert! For more information, contact [email protected] or 651-255-4736

St. Paul Young Adult Division Hanukrawl

9:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m.

Come on out for the St. Paul Young Adult Division Hanukrawl on Saturday, December 12. Join Jewish young adults (ages 21-45) and those who love them for a bar crawl at St. Paul’s favorite bars and lounges on Grand Avenue. Vegetarian appetizers on us!
Billy’s on Grand 857 Grand Ave. 9 -11:30 PM
Wild Onion 788 Grand Ave. 11:30 PM – close
Meet us at either or both of the bars. Wear blue and white so people know you are with the Hanukrawl!

December 13

Mayim Rabim Congregation Chanukah Party

4:30 p.m. – 7 p.m. Friends Meeting House, 4401 York Ave S, Minneapolis

Requested donation is $8 per adult, $2 per child, max of $20 per family. We will also be collecting donations for a local food shelf – cash/checks only

It will feature delicious vegetarian Chinese food and latkes, games and menorah lighting (bring menorah and candles). Candle lighting and songs and a story will begin at 4:45; dinner is at 5:15, followed by fun and dreidel games. For further information, contact [email protected] or 612-247-5490.

Adath Hanukkah Hop

5:00 p.m. — 7:00 p.m. Immediate Family, $25. Additional Guests, $7.

Music by Total Entertainment/Kidsdance, pizza and potato latke dinner and activities and prizes for kids. RSVP by Dec. 4 to Gan Shelanu

December 17

J-Pride Chanukah Party and Retrospective

6:30 p.m.– 8:30 p.m. Free. University of Minnesota’s Anderson Library

Not only will you enjoy some delicious food (hello – of course there’ll be food), you’ll also get to see some items in The Jean-Nickolaus Tretter Collection in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Studies.