From the 8th Crazy Night outdoor celebration to Chanukah Wonderland, there are all kinds of holiday events for everyone.
The 8th Crazy Night
The community is invited to join an outdoor Chanukah celebration at Adat Shalom Synagogue Sunday, Dec. 5. At 4: 30 p.m., the festivities will begin, including a photo booth (in an igloo!), DJ Phreddy, a fire performance by Detroit Circus, fantastic activity stations brought to you by community co-sponsors and so much more.
There will be a BIG menorah lighting at 5:30 p.m. The celebration will conclude at 6 p.m. with a car parade to Jewish Senior Life in West Bloomfield to light the menorah there. If there is inclement weather, this event will be indoors.
Toys will be collected for the Bottomless Toy Chest, if you would like to donate. $18 per car includes a large kosher pizza and donuts, hot chocolate and activities. Advance registration required by Tuesday, Nov. 30, at www.adatshalom.org/chanukah.
Partners include Adat Shalom Synagogue, Tamarack Camps, Camp Ramah, Congregation Beth Ahm, Congregation Beth Shalom, Congregation B’nai Moshe, Congregation B’nai Israel, Camp Young Judaea Midwest, Hillel Day School of Metro Detroit, Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue, JCC Day Camp, MCUSY, Willoway Day Camp, Frankel Jewish Academy and other community organizations.
For information, call (248) 851-5100.
Chanukah Phone-In Candle-Lighting Service
As part of offering outreach to Jewish community members who live alone or in non-Jewish communities or who are still isolating to protect themselves from COVID-19, the Jewish Senior Life Chaplaincy and Community Outreach program is providing a phone dial-in service for Chanukah candle lighting daily during the eight nights of Chanukah.
This is the mission of Rabbi Dovid Polter and the Jewish Chaplaincy program, which serves vulnerable and isolated Jewish older adults and reaches out to Jewish residents living at skilled rehabilitation and nursing homes. Polter also leads services and Torah study on behalf of JSL. The Jewish holidays heighten the need for outreach and thus, the rewards of participation are heightened as well.
Every week, Polter dispenses his take on Torah and Talmudic wisdom, which is run as a weekly column in the JSL Newsletter sent to more than 5,000 community members.
Polter updates the phone line weekly for Shabbat and provides inspirational thoughts for his weekly column that corresponds to the weekly Torah portion. The usual dial-in program is called Shabbat Shalom by Phone. During the Chanukah season, beginning early this year, Sunday, Nov. 28-Monday, Dec. 6, anyone who is interested may call in nightly for a Chanukah menorah lighting and listen to some holiday inspiration.
To listen, call (605) 313-4107 Access code: 270368#.
Chanukah Concert at the Franklin Cider Mill
For 43 years, Chabad of Farmington Hills has had a special relationship with the Franklin Cider Mill.
Rabbi Chaim Moshe Bergstein’s son Yitzchok saw Jack Peltz, owner of Franklin Cider Mill, and thought he was Jewish. He asked him if he wanted to do a mitzvah. Peltz said yes and did the blessing on the lulov and etrog. Chabad of Farmington Hills has been blessed with the Peltz family’s kindness ever since, continuing until today with the third generation.
On the fourth night of Chanukah, Chabad of Farmington Hills will sponsor a live outdoor Chanukah concert at the Franklin Cider Mill and the lighting of a huge 12-foot-high menorah. The event cosponsors are Chef Cari, Pro-4 Marketing, 1-800selfstorage, Kidon Security Services and Branded Design.
Featured at the concert will be the Jewish Frankel Academy Shabbatones, under the direction of Rabbi Boruch Lazewnik, and the Rogers Park Band, a popular group of singers and musicians from Rogers Park in Chicago.
A raffle and free toys for the kids will round out the event.
The Dec. 1 concert will begin at 5 p.m. The Chanukah lights will be lit at 5:30.
Chanukah Wonderland & More
Last year, children in the community sorely missed the Chanukah Wonderland put on by Bais Chabad Torah Center in West Bloomfield. They will be happy to hear that this year, it’s back!
This year, all the holiday fun, crafts, food and activities will take place in a heated tent in the shul’s parking lot.
The tent will be open to the public Sunday, Nov. 28, and Sunday, Dec. 5. Admission is $5.
Bais Chabad will also hold the Chanukah Parade of Love & Light at 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 2, at Meer Jewish Apartments in West Bloomfield. Attendees can share the festive joy of the holiday and decorate their cars and wave their Chanukah flags as they drive by seniors’ windows. Bais Chabad will enhance the ride with delicious latkes, donuts and a hotdog dinner.
Also, on Dec. 4, at 8 p.m., you can enjoy Chanukah on Ice at the Novi Ice Arena with Bais Chabad. Skate to Jewish music, enjoy a kosher dinner and a beautiful ice sculptured menorah.
Details are available at chanukahwonderlandmi.com.
