12/04/2013
8th Night of Chanukah Event is Coming!
- Share This Story
by Adrienne Goldberg
I love seeing our youngest community members come together to celebrate Chanukah by giving. The 8th Night of Chanukah invites families to dedicate the last night of Chanukah as a time for giving rather than receiving. We are encouraging kids at an early age to think of others. It’s an important lesson to learn and a way to help them become part of our community of givers.
The 8th Night program provides tzedakah boxes to children, along with stickers for decoration that show our community’s needs. Children fill the boxes with coins collected from friends, family and perhaps some of their own allowance. The boxes are brought to the Federation, and the money is donated to the 2014 Campaign for Jewish Needs. In 2013, over $3,000 was collected by young participants.
This year, we’ve sent out over 2,500 packets with tzedakah boxes, and I’m so excited to see the children bring them to the Federation’s Mandel Building on Sunday December 8th from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. We’ll accept their donations, and celebrate with crafts, food, storytelling and a parade. It’s a fun morning for everyone, and a great way for us to thank these children for their generosity.
To see our children and grandchildren come together to celebrate Chanukah by giving is so gratifying. It is our responsibility to create a culture of giving, and show the importance of looking after each other both here and globally in this way. This is how we can make a difference. This is how we can show the next generation of leaders that they have the power to change the world.
For more information on the 8th Night of Chanukah, visit www.jewishcleveland.org or call Lisa Hacker at 216-593-2792 or email her at lhacker@jcfcleve.org.
