Hanukkah at Mishkon 2025
This year, Hanukkah at Mishkon marks a historic 77 years of bringing light to Main Street in Venice! Join us as we continue Mishkon’s tradition of creating memories and bringing people together! Don't miss this year's Candle-Lighting Party, Hanukkah Happy Hour, Tot Shabbat, Chinese Food and Movie Night, and more!
The Study of Hanukkah, with Rabbi Katzan
Sunday, December 7, 2025 
10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Hanukkah is one of the most significant holidays in the Jewish calendar, though much of its meaning gets missed by thinking it’s just another winter holiday. Please join Rabbi Katzan for an enriching study of Hanukkah, exploring its significance and meaning for us living in a post-October 7 world.
Child care will be provided.
Pre-Hanukkah Tot Shabbat
Saturday, December 13, 2025 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Join us for a joyful and interactive Tot Shabbat service with music and storytelling, followed by grape juice and challah on the bimah with Rabbi Katzan, and a kiddush lunch. Tot Shabbat will be led by Mishkon member Jeffrey Prince, who has a special talent for engaging our preschoolers through his interactive songs and exciting Jewish stories. This event is tailored to children 6 and younger. Tot Shabbat is free and open to members and non-members — please sign up below if you’ll be joining us!
11 a.m. Free play
11:15 a.m. Tot Shabbat service
12 p.m. Grape juice and challah on the bimah with Rabbi Katzan
12:15 p.m. Kiddush lunch (bagels, fruit, and more) with the congregation
Mishkon's Hanukkah Candle-Lighting Party
Sunday, December 14, 2025 
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Join us as we celebrate the first night of Hanukkah at Mishkon! We’ll light the menorah together, enjoy delicious latkes, award-winning Kosher brisket, vegetarian dinner options, and sufganiyot — all accompanied by songs and joyful holiday spirit in our beautiful synagogue.
We’ll also have fun activities for all ages, including dreidel games and Hanukkah-themed crafts and card-making. We encourage you to BYOH (bring your own Hanukkiah) to light with your family. We will provide candles.
Hanukkah Happy Hour
Young Professionals Mingle
Tuesday, December 16, 2025 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Celebrate the season of light with fellow Young Professionals at Mishkon — a night of food, fun, and Hanukkah spirit.
We’ll light Hanukkah candles together and enjoy food and drinks, with plenty of latkes and jelly donuts to go around. Join in classic Hanukkah activities like decorating sufganiot, playing dreidel, and building your own menorah — or simply come to hang out. Come share the light and connect with a warm, welcoming community. The mingle will be hosted at Mishkon Tephilo (206 Main Street, Venice)
Havdalukkah (Havdalah on Hanukkah)
Saturday, December 20, 2025 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Join Rabbi Katzan in celebrating Hanukkah and Havdalah at his home as we mark the end of Shabbat and usher in the new week. We will light a special candle, bless wine, smell spices, sing songs, and nosh. This event is for Mishkon members only. RSVP for the address.
Hanukkah Zoom Presentation
Who Really Won at Hanukkah? The Greeks or the Jews?
Sunday, December 21, 2025 11:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Chinese Food and Movie Night
Thursday, December 25, 2025 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Come celebrate Xmas the Jewish way, with Chinese food and a movie! We will be watching the 1979 film The Frisco Kid, starring Gene Wilder as Rabbi Avram Belinsky and Harrison Ford as a bank robber who befriends him.
Dinner will begin at 5:15 p.m. with a catered Kosher Chinese meal, paired with schmoozing followed by our feature film. $36 per adult to help cover the cost of a catered Kosher Chinese meal with meat and vegetarian options as well as popcorn, drinks, and security.
Boyos
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Send us your delicious family recipes or recent favorites! All submitted recipes will be collected in our blog, The Mishkon Cookbook! Please include all ingredients and instructions, favorite memories or stories related to this recipe, and photos.
A Whole Lot of Latkes
This holiday season, put kindness and generosity into action by participating in the Federation's 20th Annual Festival of Lights Toy & Book Drive, running through Monday, December 15.
The process is easy and entirely virtual. Visit
JewishLA.org/ToyDrive2025 to explore the Amazon Wish Lists of its partner organizations and donate directly from there.
This annual tradition reflects who we are as Jewish Los Angeles — people who show up for our neighbors. Your gift won’t simply bring a smile to a child’s face. It will also strengthen the network of care we’ve built alongside our trusted partners that supports families across the city, Jewish and non-Jewish alike.
By participating in the drive, you help us extend our Jewish values of chesed (kindness) and tzedakah (giving) into the broader community, building bridges that foster a more-compassionate Los Angeles for everyone.
Together, let’s spread the light and fill a child’s holiday with joy!
Blessings for Lighting Hanukkah Candles
Get a downloadable printable pdf of the blessings.
BBYO Sings: Hanukkah Blessings
BBYO Sings features BBYO Music Directors Eric Hunker and Happie Hoffman.
Video created by Ori Salzberg.
Carole King
Featured on her "A Holiday Carole" album, released in 2011, Carole King sings
us the blessings with her daughter, Louise Goffin, and grandson.
Matisyahu
Accompanied by an acoustic guitar, Matisyahu sings an
impassioned version of the prayers on Sirius XM.
Jack Black
Jack Black surprises comedians Ethan and Hila Klein on H3 with his
rendition of the first Hanukkah Blessing.
Pink
Shared on Instagram, Pink and her two daughters sing
and light the candles together.
Purchase boxes of Hanukkah candles for $10 each.
Candles can be picked up in person at Mishkon Monday through Friday during business hours.
Take a trip down memory lane and enjoy photos and videos from past Mishkon Hanukkah parties!
Mishkon's Hannukkah Party 2023
Mishkon's Hannukkah Party 2022
Mishkon's Hannukkah Party 2017
Wed, February 18 2026 1 Adar 5786
