Hanukkah celebration brings community organizations together

A Hanukkah celebration Sunday at Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills gave community members a chance to usher in the eight-day festival with games, music and charitable activities, while also providing a networking opportunity to several Chicago-area Jewish organizations.

The 11th annual Hanukkah Happenings, hosted by the Northwest Suburban Jewish Connectors, featured crafts, a photo booth, a circulating human dreidel, the strumming and singing of children's entertainer Jeanie B., and a version of the Bozo bucket game with a dreidel instead of a ball.

A fully lit menorah established its seasonal presence near the former entrance to Carson's.

At a craft table filled with crayons and dreidels, Emilie Danca of Round Lake joined her daughters Madeline, 8, and Katherine, 10, to cut decorative stickers for tzedakah (charity) containers. The circular jars with a slot at the top will be filled with money for charitable causes.

Danca said she looks forward the candles flickering in the darkness and spending time with her family during the holiday.

"I think there is this human urge to light up the darkness. And I think that can appeal to many different people of different faith traditions," she said, drawing a seasonal parallel between the menorah and the Christmas tree.

Andi Kaufman, director of teen and family engagement for the Jewish Community Center of Chicago, said the free event, said about 200 preregistered to attend the event.

"This is an opportunity where anyone from any background can come and enjoy and be part of the community," without having to be affiliated with any particular group, she said.

The holiday, Kaufman added, is "a real celebration of Jewish resilience and the power of believing in miracles."

It is an especially joyous holiday for children because of the dreidel games, the lighting of the menorah and the food - latkes, jelly doughnuts and the chocolate Hanukkah gelt.