Chanukah Events in the Region

Pictured here: The 2013 Krewe du Jieux Chanukah Second Line parade in New Orleans.

Following is a listing of Chanukah events in the Deep South:

Alabama

Knesseth Israel in Birmingham will have its annual Chanukah Latke Bar and Bingo on Dec. 17 at 6 p.m. Ammong the varieties will be carrot and potato latkes, cumin scented beet latkes, leek latkes, potato latkes and zucchini apple latke fritters.

Birmingham’s Temple Emanu-El will have its annual Family Fun Day on Dec. 14 from 9:30 a.m. to noon, with games, doughnuts and a bounce house. The Brotherhood’s Chanukah lunch and raffle will be at noon. Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children.

Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El will have its Chanukah celebration on Dec. 14 with a religious school event at 11 a.m., followed by the Sisterhood Chanukah lunch at 11:30 a.m. Cost is $12 for adults, $6 for children over the age of 5. At 12:30 p.m. the youth group will work on “the next great viral video” for Chanukah. The Men’s Club will also sponsor a blood drive from 9 a.m. to noon.

Chabad of Alabama will have its Chanukah Winter Wonderland on Dec. 21 at 5 p.m. in Birmingham with the annual Ice Menorah lighting. The party that follows includes Chanukah crafts, latkes, doughnuts, a pasta bar, salad bar and hot cocoa. Cost is $10 per adult, $6 per child, up to $36 for a family. Reservations are requested.

Temple Emanu-El in Dothan will have its Chanukah potluck on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m., supplying Leon’s Luscious Latkes, drinks and doughnuts. Side or main dishes for 8 to 10 are requested. Cost is $8 for adults, $4 for children under 10, with reservations requested by Dec. 17.

Chabad of North Alabama will have its fifth annual public Menorah lighting on Dec. 21 at 4:30 p.m., at Bridge Street Town Centre in Huntsville. The lighting will be at 5 p.m. There will be sufganiyot, hot chocolate, pavement performers, music and entertainment, and children’s activities.

Etz Chayim in Huntsville will have its annual latke party on Dec. 14 at 11:30 a.m., sponsored by Sisterhood, with Bingo sponsored by the Men’s Club.

The annual Chanukah Fry Fest at Temple B’nai Sholom in Huntsville will be on Dec. 19 at 5:45 p.m. Anything that can be fried is fair game. Fried chicken, latkes and salads are definitely on the menu, plus surprises. Last year there were fried biscuits. The suggested donation is $10 per family.

B’nai Sholom will host a community menorah lighting at Big Spring Park on Dec. 20 at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at Pane e Vino.

Mobile will have its first-ever public Chanukah menorah lighting at Bienville Square on Dec. 16. The event is organized by the new Chabad of Mobile and starts at 6:30 p.m.

The free event includes latkes and doughnuts, children’s crafts, glow-in-the-dark Chanukah T-shirts, a fire juggler and a raffle for a Kindle Fire. All of this is a play off of Chanukah being the holiday of light, Goldwasser said.

Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson has been invited to light the shamash.

Bienville Square is also the site of Mobile’s Christmas tree lighting, which took place on Nov. 21.

On Dec. 21, Ahavas Chesed in Mobile will have a Chanukah dinner to introduce three new babies to the congregation. Further details will be forthcoming.

Springhill Avenue Temple in Mobile will have a family Chanukah dinner on Dec. 19 after the 6 p.m. Shabbat service. There will be a group menorah lighting and the “famous Men’s Club Latkes.” Reservations are requested by Dec. 10, and are $10 for adults, $5 for children under 10.

The Jewish Federation of Central Alabama will have a young adults “Light it Up for Chanukah” Happy Hour, Dec. 17 at 6:30 p.m., at Pine Bar in Montgomery.

Agudath Israel-Etz Ahayem in Montgomery will have its annual Chanukah Hoopla, with a latke and hot dog lunch on Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There will be a food bazaar and gift shopping, with a Kids Korner of activities.

Temple Beth Or in Montgomery will have a Chanukah family service and dinner on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. Services will be in the sanctuary, followed by dinner in the social hall. Dinner reservations are required.

Tuscaloosa’s Temple Emanu-El will have a Chanukah party on Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m. Families should bring their favorite menorah, two candles and a pot-luck dish. The congregation will provide latkes and soft drinks.

Florida Panhandle

PJ Library and the Pensacola Jewish Federation will have a Chanukah celebration, Dec. 13, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Barnes and Noble Booksellers on Airport Boulevard.

On Dec. 17 at 5:30 p.m., there will be a Chanukah party for Pensacola Young Jewish Professionals, at the Fleekop home. Temple Beth-El will have its Chanukah Shabbat and party on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m.

Chabad of the Emerald Coast will have a Grand Menorah Lighting on Dec. 21 at 4 p.m., at Harborwalk Village in Destin.

Beth Shalom in Fort Walton Beach will have a Family Chanukah Night on Dec. 19, with families encouraged to bring their menorahs for a group lighting at 7:30 p.m. Chuck London will tell the Chanukah story.

B’nai Israel in Panama City will have a Chanukah luncheon on Dec. 21 at 11 a.m., with performances by the religious school. The lunch is $5 for adults, free for teachers, religious school students and their parents.

New Orleans

Chanukah returns to the Riverwalk this year.

After two years at the Lakeview Mall in Metairie, the Chabad-sponsored event returns to Spanish Plaza at Riverwalk on Dec. 16 at 5:30 p.m.

There will be a menorah lighting at 6:15 p.m., a hot latke bar, a Dreidel House kids activity center and face painting. Yoel Sharabi will also be in concert.

Parking will be available at the Hilton lot for $5. Rain location will be the Riverwalk indoor food court.

Chabad will also hold its Celebrity Chef Latke Cookoff for Young Jewish Professionals on Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Uptown Chabad. In addition to celebrity chefs, Chabad throws in an amateur to compete against the professionals.

The annual Mobile Menorah Parade is scheduled for Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m., leaving from Chabad Uptown. A party will follow at Chabad Uptown.

The Chabad Chanukah party for Israelis in New Orleans will be at 6 p.m. on Dec. 21, at Chabad in Metairie.

The Chabad Family Chanukah Party will be at Chabad in Metairie on Dec. 22 at 6 p.m. There will be pizza, “make your own doughnut” and a family menorah lighting at 7 p.m. Cost is $12 for adults, $8 for children by Dec. 17, $15 per adult and $12 per child after.

Chabad is also offering its olive press workshop at Temple Sinai in Lake Charles, B’nai Israel in Baton Rouge, Stepping Stones Montessori, Touro Synagogue, Chabad Hebrew School and Woldenberg Village.

There will be a pre-Chanukah Kosher Day at the Whole Foods, Arabella Station, on Dec. 8 from 4 to 6 p.m.

The Jewish Children’s Regional Service will have Latkes with a Twist on Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. at Bellocq. More information here.

On Dec. 14, the community Chanukah celebration at the Uptown Jewish Community Center includes a free concert by Israeli music icon David Broza at 2:30 p.m.

The first night of Chanukah, there will be a celebration of Jewish education at the New Orleans Pelicans game against the Utah Jazz on Dec. 16. Children from the Jewish Community Day School will sing the National Anthem, and there will be a post-game on-court photo. A percentage of group ticket sales will benefit Jewish children’s education in New Orleans. Discounted balcony seats are $14 and lower level tickets are $32, and should be reserved through the Day School by Dec. 8. Tipoff is 7 p.m. and tickets can be picked up at Will-Call.

The Gates of Prayer Sisterhood in Metairie will have Vodka and Latkes on Dec. 14 at 1 p.m., in preparation for the congregation’s Chanukah dinner on Dec. 19. The Dec. 19 interactive musical service will be at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Reservations are required for dinner, adults are $10 and children ages 2 to 12 are $5.

On Dec. 19, Touro Synagogue will have a Chanukah family dinner of fried chicken and latkes, featuring Matthew Noel, the Magic Yoyo. The dinner, which follows the 6 p.m. service, is $15 for adults, $10 for children and $54 for families.

Temple Sinai in New Orleans will have a Chanukah bazaar sponsored by the Sisterhood on Dec. 7 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be a bake sale by the parents of the Religious School, hot dogs and latkes. The latkes are donated by Alon Shaya from Domenica.

The Temple Sinai Chanukah on the Avenue will be Dec. 19 starting with Shabbat services featuring the Sinai Puppets at 6:15 p.m. At 7 p.m. there will be the menorah lighting On The Avenue, followed by a latke dinner. Reservations for the dinner are $16 for adults, $8 for children ages 6 to 12, free for ages 5 and under.

JNOLA, the group for Jewish young adults in New Orleans ages 21 to 45, has Chanukah in the Quarter on Dec. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at Evangeline. Admission to the “party with a purpose” is $10, and half of the proceeds go to Second Harvest Food Bank. There will be a menorah lighting, latke bar and the first cocktail is complimentary.

Jewish Community Day School students will perform a Chanukah Musical play entitled “Glowin’ Down the Bayou” at the Metairie school. This original production, written by JCDS Faculty members Lauren Gisclair and Aleeza Adelman, will be held Dec. 18 at 6 p.m. in the JCDS cafeteria. The musical takes place in New Orleans where the children go on a journey to find the candles for the Chanukiyah. Their adventures will take them to Cafe du Monde, the Audubon Zoo and the Superdome in search of the candles for the first three nights of Chanukah. The music will include popular Chanukah favorites such as “The Dreidel Song” as well some original songs including “Let it Glow!” The production is open to the community and is free of charge.

The Jewish Babies Club at the Day School will have a Chanukah music program on Dec. 19 at 11 a.m.

The 10th annual Krewe du Jieux Chanukah Second Line Parade will depart from Molly’s at the Market on Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. The Brass-Arabian Spectacular Band will lead the parade through the French Quarter. The parade will conclude with a menorah lighting and beignets at Cafe du Monde, around 7:30 p.m.

Shir Chadash in Metairie will have a Sisterhood dinner and game night on Dec. 22, and there will be a Latke and Chai-Nese dinner on Dec. 24 at 7 p.m.

Beth Israel in Metairie will have its annual Chanukah party and Chinese dinner, Dec. 23 at 6:30 p.m. There is no charge for members and a suggested donation of $18 for non-members.

Louisiana

Beth Shalom in Baton Rouge will have a community candle lighting and potluck dinner, Dec. 19 at 5 p.m., followed by 6 p.m. service.

B’nai Israel in Baton Rouge will have a coffeehouse Chanukah celebration, Dec. 20 at 5:30 p.m. After Havdalah there will be a latke dinner and party with a community menorah lighting, open mic for singing and poetry, dreidel games and a white elephant gift exchange. Cost is $8 for adults, $4 for children, reservations are due by Dec. 15.

In Lafayette, Temple Shalom will have a Chanukah Songfest at Shabbat services on Dec. 19. There will be a dairy dinner at 6 p.m., followed by services. On Dec. 21, the congregation will have a Cajun Chanukah party, with “Daniel and the Lions,” Daniel Gale, Henry Hample, Steven Cohen, Thomas David and Drew Simon playing Cajun and Chanukah music. There is no admission charge for the event, which will run from 1 to 3 p.m. Food and monetary donations to FoodNet are being accepted, and proceeds from the sale of traditional Chanukah foods will benefit the congregation.

Rabbi Judy Caplan Ginsburgh will lead a Chanukah celebration and family night at Temple Sinai in Lake Charles on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m.

B’nai Israel in Monroe will have a Shabbat service on Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. conducted by Harvey Rappaport. He will give a history of Jewish music through Chanukah. On Dec. 19, Rabbi Barbara Metzinger will conduct a Chanukah Seder with the 6 p.m. service.

B’nai Zion in Shreveport will have a Chanukah service on Dec. 19 at 6 p.m., followed by an oneg with latkes.

Shreveport’s Agudath Achim will have a covered dish dinner and group menorah lighting on Dec. 19 at 6:30 p.m. Dairy or pareve dishes are encouraged. Shabbat services will follow the dinner.

Mississippi

B’nai Israel in Hattiesburg will have a covered dish supper and Chanukah Party on Dec. 20. Student rabbi Simon Stratford will lead a lighting of the Chanukah candles, and there will be plenty of Bingo and latkes.

Beth Israel in Jackson will have its Chanukah dinner on Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. The menu will include brisket, latkes, vegetables, salad and dessert. Reservations are requested by Dec. 16. The dinner is $10 for adults in advance, $15 at the door. Children ages 7 to 13 are $5, and under 6 are free.

Chabad of Southern Mississippi will have its giant Menorah lighting on Dec. 18 at Edgewater Mall in Biloxi, starting at 6:30 p.m. There will be latkes, doughnuts, Jewish music and candle making.

The Beth Israel family Chanukah party in Gulfport will be on Dec. 21 at 5:30 p.m. with a dairy potluck dinner. Latkes will be provided.

The University of Mississippi and Oxford Jewish community will have its Latke Study Break on Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom, next to the Subway. Latkes will be provided by My Michelle’s Catering. The suggested donation is $5, free for students. The event is open to the greater community.