December is one of the busiest times of the year. While the holidays will look a little different this year, that doesn’t mean that you can’t still have a great time with your family. While Christmas might normally be the star of the show in December, many families are also celebrating Hanukkah! So whether you don’t celebrate Christmas at all or are celebrating both this year, here are a few great ways to celebrate Hanukkah in New Jersey!
This year, Hanukkah will be Thursday, December 10, 2020 through Friday, December 18, 2020.
Celebrate Hanukkah in New Jersey
Car Menorah Parades
If you’re looking for a great way to help spread joy in your community this Hanukkah, consider signing up for this Car Menorah Parade in Long Branch! This driving parade is a fun way for you to spread some Hanukkah cheer without actually needing to get out of your car or spend any money!
More Car Menorah Parades in New Jersey
Participating in a Car Menorah Parade?
Here’s a few products we found for cars participating in a Car Menorah Parade. These are affiliate links. We participate in affiliate programs that allow us to earn a small commission if you make a purchase using our link.
- Hanukkah magnets for cars
- Menorah Hewbrew Lamp Vinyl Decal Sticker
- Gold 4” Menorah Car Vinyl Decal Bumper Sticker
- Electric Hanukkah Menorah
- Menorah Hanukkah Symbol Car Decal
- Menorah ‘its Lit’ Funny Hannukah Sticker for car
- Hebrew Menorah Yhvh Shalom Car sticker
- Hanukkah Menorah Banner
- 8 ft Hanukkah Menorah Inflatable
- Hanukkah Dreidel Decoration String Lights
- Hanging Ball Hanukkah Lanterns Ornaments
- Happy Hanukkah Banner
- Izzy ‘n’ Dizzy Hanukkah LED Window Gel Menorah
- 8 ft Tall Hanukkah Bear Inflatable
- Giant Hanukkah Decorations
Temple Emanu-El Chanukah Celebration
Come to the temple to celebrate Hanukkah in New Jersey each night of the Hanukkah season! There is a new event and worship every night with something new and fun for the community to enjoy! These events are free to anyone who wants to come!
Drive In Chanukah Event with a BMX Bike Show
We’re still collecting all the details, but plans are underway for a Drive In Hanukkah event in Montclair, New Jersey. Highlights include BMX Stunt Bike Show, Grand Menorah Lighting, Chanukah Swag Bag, with doughnuts, Gelt and prizes, immersive multimedia Chanukah Experience, featuring music videos and digital games and a Dreidel Mascot.
Grand Menorah Lighting and Fire Show
Putting a new spin on the Chanukah theme of illuminating the world, Chabad at the Shore will combine a Fire Juggling Show with an Annual Grand Menorah Lighting. At this free event, participants also will enjoy doughnuts and latkes, as well as music performed by a children’s choir.
Drive In Menorah Lighting with a Fire Show
We’re still collecting all the details, but plans are underway for a Drive In Hanukkah event in Closter, New Jersey. A giant LED Menorah lighting, a fire show, food, prizes and more will certainly make for a memorable Hanukkah celebration.
Metuchen Menorah Lighting
Celebrate Hanukkah with the lighting of the Metuchen Menorah! Listen to musical pieces and the story of Hanukkah followed by the lighting of the Metuchen Menorah. Starting on the 10th, gelt, and dreidels will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at Metuchen shops through the weekend. If you can’t make it to this event in person, it will also be live-streamed on the Metuchen Borough Facebook Page, Metuchen Media Youtube Channel, and Channel 15.
Chanukah Outdoor Menorah Lighting
Chabad of the Shore is putting on three different outdoor menorah lighting events in New Jersey! These will all be held outside to maintain social distancing guidelines so you can still celebrate the Hanukkah season together.
More Menorah Lightings in New Jersey
As these menorah lighting events in New Jersey are updated for 2020, we will link to them below.
- Asbury Park Menorah Lighting
- Bayonne Menorah Lighting
- Belmar Menorah Lighting
- Bogota Menorah Lighting
- Bradley Beach Menorah Lighting – Officially cancelled for 2020
- Brick Menorah Lighting
- Chatham Menorah Lighting
- Cherry Hill Menorah Lighting at the Barclays Shopping Center
- Cinnaminson Tree and Menorah Lighting
- Clifton Menorah Lighting
- Clinton Menorah Lighting
- Downtown Clinton Menorah Lighting
- Closter Menorah Lighting
- Collingswood Menorah Lighting – Virtual
- Collingswood Menorah Lighting with the Chabad Center – Virtual
- Cranford Menorah Lighting
- Demarest Menorah Lighting
- East Brunswick Holiday of Lights
- East Hanover Menorah Lighting
- Edison Menorah Lighting and Hanukkah Celebration
- Fair Haven Menorah Lighting
- Fair Lawn Menorah Lighting
- Florence Menorah Lighting
- Florham Park Menorah Lighting
- Franklin Lakes Menorah Lighting
- Freehold Menorah Lighting Ceremony
- Frenchtown Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Celebration
- Galloway Menorah Lighting
- Garwood Menorah Lighting
- Hackensack Menorah Lighting
- Haddonfield Menorah Lighting
- Hanukkah Menorah Lighting at WheatonArts
- Highland Park Downtown Menorah Lighting
- Hillsdale Christmas Tree and Menorah Lighting
- Holmdel Lighting of the Menorah
- Hopatcong Menorah Lighting
- Howell Township Tree and Menorah Lighting
- Jackson Menorah Lighting
- Jackson Menorah Lighting – Light Up Jackson
- Jamesburg Hanukkah Event with Menorah Lighting
- Downtown Jersey City Christmas Tree and Menorah Lighting
- Jersey City Menorah Lighting Ceremony at City Hall
- Lambertville Menorah Lighting
- Holmdel Lighting of the Menorah
- Lebanon Menorah Lighting
- Little Falls Menorah Lighting
- Livingston Menorah Lighting at Livingston Mall
- Long Branch Menorah Lighting
- Madison Menorah Lighting
- Mahwah Menorah Lighting
- Manalapan Menorah Lighting
- Maplewood Menorah Lighting
- Medford Menorah Lighting
- Montclair Drive-In Chanukah Spectacular
- Montvale Menorah Lighting
- Moorestown Menorah Lighting – Virtual
- Morristown Menorah Lighting on the Green
- Mount Olive Menorah Lighting
- North Brunswick Menorah Lighting
- Nutley Tree and Menorah Lighting
- Oakland Menorah Lighting
- Old Bridge Holiday Party, Christmas Tree and Menorah Lighting
- Old Tappan Menorah Lighting – Virtual
- Oradell Menorah Lighting
- Princeton Menorah Lighting at Palmer Square
- Red Bank Menorah Lighting
- Ridgewood Menorah Lighting in Memorial Park
- River Vale Menorah Lighting
- Robbinsville Township Christmas Tree and Menorah Lighting
- Rockaway Townsquare Menorah Lighting
- Roseland Menorah Lighting
- Scotch Plains Menorah Lighting
- Shrewsbury Menorah Lighting
- South Brunswick Menorah Lighting Ceremony
- Teaneck Menorah Lighting
- Township of Ocean Menorah Lighting & Hanukkah Celebration
- Ventnor City Menorah Lighting
- Ventnor Menorah Lighting at City Hall – Virtual and In Person
- Wayne Menorah Lighting at City Hall
- West Caldwell Menorah Lighting
- West Orange Township Menorah Lighting
- Westfield Menorah Lighting
- Westwood Menorah Lighting
- Woodcliff Lake Menorah Lighting – Virtual
- Woodland Park Menorah Lighting – Virtual
Chanukah Drive-In Event
This Chanukah Drive-In event in Lebanon will feature world famous Shira Soul Band performance, Live Fire Show, Covid friendly Chanukah Craft Bags, Personal Food Bags and grand Menorah Lighting at New Construction Site.
Chanukah On Ice
This Hanukkah event in New Jersey is fun for the entire family! Skate to Hannakuh music, and enjoy donuts, latkes, and dreidels for the whole family! Stick around for the lighting of a giant menorah too!
The Great Chanukah Happening in South Jersey
Join an outdoor, drive-through JCC Chanukah Celebration and celebrate the Festival of Lights!
The event will start with the arrival of the Chabad menorah car parade, then we will enjoy the lighting of the menorah atop the JCC roof! Music, crafts, a sugar cookie kit and dreidel making kit (provided by Kellman Brown Academy) will all be take-home goodies provided while you remain safely in your vehicle.
Find more in person New Jersey Hanukkah events
Visit these links to find more New Jersey Hanukkah events by county.
- Atlantic County Hanukkah events
- Bergen County Hanukkah events
- Burlington County Hanukkah events
- Camden County Hanukkah events
- Cape May County Hanukkah events
- Cumberland County Hanukkah events
- Essex County Hanukkah events
- Gloucester County Hanukkah events
- Hudson County Hanukkah events
- Hunterdon County Hanukkah events
- Mercer County Hanukkah events
- Middlesex County Hanukkah events
- Monmouth County Hanukkah events
- Morris County Hanukkah events
- Ocean County Hanukkah events
- Passaic County Hanukkah events
- Salem County Hanukkah events
- Somerset County Hanukkah events
- Sussex County Hanukkah events
- Union County Hanukkah events
- Warren County Hanukkah events
Virtual Hanukkah Events
Make Hannukah Sweet
Celebrate the Hannukah season by making a Hannukah cake together alongside Tracy Wilk! You’ll get a list of ingredients and a link to the Zoom call when you sign up for this event!
A Virtual Concert in Celebration of Hanukkah
On December 15th at 1:30 pm, hop on Zoom for a virtual concert featuring Avi Wisnia. Avi will be performing sing-a-long favorites and Jewish music as well as Hanukkah songs! This event is only $8, and you can watch from the comfort of your own home!
Nefesh Mountain Zoom Concert
This special free ticket opportunity is only open to TRT members! If you’re a member, you can watch this free live Hanukkah holiday concert right from home!
Chanukahpalooza!
Join the Temple Emanu-El of Edison for a celebration of Hanukkah and Shabbat! All are welcome to join this event!
Zoom at: https://zoom.us/j/8357221415, passcode: temple
If you are unable to join by Zoom, you can call 1-646-558-8656, enter meeting ID 8357221415 and passcode 426022
Virtual Hanukkah Magic Show
Celebrate the season for magic and miracles with magician and mentalist Jason Silberman! You can experience this mind-blowing magic show from home; you only need to register to join!
Virtual Hanukkah Puppet Show
This child-friendly Hannukah Zoom event is perfect for your little ones! This interactive puppet show is put on by Mainstages and includes games, puppets, interactive storybook theater, and more!
Virtual Menorah Lighting
Join Chabad at the Shore from the comfort of your home and light the menorahs together. Enjoy a story time with Tovah Rapoport, a latke frying lesson, inspiring songs, and more.
Join Zoom Meeting Login Info:
www.zoom.us | Meeting ID: 844 7446 1176 | Password: 1818
More Ideas for Celebrating Hanukah at home
Have a Hanukkah cookie decorating contest
Have some Hanukkah fun and support a New Jersey bakery at the same time. Pickup, curbside one of these cookie decorating kits from a NJ bakery. Then, get your kids involved to see who can design or create the best looking holiday cookie.
Also consider ordering a Hanukkah cookie decorating kit from Sully and Vanilla. Look at the cute paint your own cookies they have for Hanukkah. Choose from a dancing dreidel, menorah, or Hanukkah scene. In our sample, we received a dancing dreidel. These cookies are huge. Each is about 4.5″ wide in diameter. It comes with one large cookie, edible paint palette, and a food safe paintbrush.
You can also order a complete Hanukkah Cookie Decorating Kit from Sully and Vanilla at their website. They do ship their cookies. Each set comes with 8 cookies (2 dreidel, 2 menorah, 2 Jewish star and 2 gifts) icing and sprinkles to decorate.
Enjoy a special Hanukkah dessert
Order some sweet treats to have on one or every night you celebrate Hanukkah. Sully and Vanilla not only has the Hanukkah Cookie Decorating kits but they also have these cute and yummy . Each set includes one dozen vanilla cake pops dipped in white chocolate and topped with sprinkles and gelt.
Expand your collection of Jewish children’s books
Sign up for PJ Library. PJ Library sends free, award-winning books that celebrate Jewish values and culture to families with children from birth through 12 years old. Learn more at their website. Every month, PJ Library sends more than 650,000 free Jewish books to families around the world.
Build a Chanukkah House from Cookies
YES! You can build a gingerbread cookie Hanukkah house. We like this Chanukah Cookie House Decorating Kit we received from Manischewitz. Each of their DIY kits includes everything you need to build your own festive cookie house and a subscription card for PJ Library.
Just because we are living in a bizarre season of life, this holiday season doesn’t mean you have to forego some of your favorite Hanukkah traditions! If you’re looking for good family fun this holiday season, any of these would be a fun way to celebrate Hanukkah in New Jersey with your family.
For ways to celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah at home visit these blog posts and listings
- Holiday movies for your next family movie night
- 101 Elf on the Shelf Ideas
- Ideas, Inspiration, & Prizes – Elf on the Shelf Challenge
- Best Children’s Books about Christmas
- Celebrate Hanukkah in New Jersey, ideas, events, and activities
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