For Immediate Release:
December 7, 2005


Chanukah comes “ALIVE” at the Jewish Children’s Museum

Brooklyn, NY – The Jewish Children’s Museum will present a “Chanukah Experience” enabling children to relive the ancient miracle of Chanukah through a range of first-rate multimedia exhibits, professional shows and workshops.

At the museum’s authentic olive press participants will squeeze their own olive oil. Oil plays a special role in the miracle of Chanukah. When the ancient Maccabees returned to their temple they found only enough oil to burn for only one day instead of the eight days needed to produce a new batch. The Maccabees lit the Menorah and found it to last the full eight days!

“For young visitors to not only hear the story of Chanukah, but to actually experience it in real-time is very exciting”, says Rabbi Yerachmiel Benjaminson, the museum’s Executive Director. He’s referring to the professional newsroom studio that has children “broadcasting” the Chanukah story to their eager friends.

Visitors can then make their own scrumptious “Latkes”, potato pancakes, or “Sufganiyot”, doughnuts, traditional foods served on Chanukah. Additionally, kids will love building a giant Lego menorah. The menorah once stood prominently in Jerusalem’s Holy Temple. To top it all off, Kids will play “Chanukah Challenge” in our fabulous Game show studio and spellbound audiences will be treated to a special Chanukah story time told by a live Judah Maccabee in the museum’s library.

“You have to see the looks on the faces of these children”, says the museum’s Director of Education Rabbi Nissen Brenenson. “Children of all backgrounds leave here with a brand new appreciation and understanding of Jewish tradition and culture. This is something that I don’t think can be accomplished in the classroom alone.”

Commemorating the miraculous victory by a small band of Jewish heroes over the mighty Assyrian Greek armies, Chanukah has come to represent the universal concept that a small amount of light can dispel an immense darkness. Armed with little more than faith in their way of life and the right to practice their religion freely, Judah Maccabee and his tiny group of fighters successfully overcame the powers of immorality who were trying to impede their observance.

The recently opened Jewish Children’s Museum is successfully working to bridge the cultural gap in our community through innovative hands-on exhibits and interactive displays. Presenting key Jewish concepts in fun and informative ways, the museum continues to receive rave reviews from educators, parents and most importantly from children themselves.

Press Contact: Yifat Russ
Public Relations & Marketing
The Jewish Children's Museum
792 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY, 11213
(phone) (718) 907-8803
(fax) (718) 467-1300
(e-mail) yifat@jcm.museum
www.jcm.museum