Before the 1800s, Hanukkah was a minor holiday to most Jews. However, the status of the holiday began to change after the Civil War, when Rabbi Max Lilienthal created Hanukkah events for children at his synagogue. Soon, these types of events were adopted nationwide. In the twentieth century, Jews began expanding the celebration of the holiday to compete with Christmas and reinforce their dedication to Judaism.
Join the Museum for a program exploring the history of Hanukkah in the United States. The program will consist of a conversation between Jenna Joselit, Professor of History at George Washington University, and Marjorie Ingall, author of Mamaleh Knows Best and co-author of Make It Right: The Case For Good Apologies, which will be released in September 2022. The conversation will be moderated by Stephanie Butnick, Deputy Editor of Tablet magazine and host of the podcast Unorthodox.
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Photo credit: Lighting outdoor menorah. Barbara Pfeffer Collection, Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York. 1999.P.1001.
Live closed captions will be available during this program.
Public programming at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust is made possible, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council; the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; a Humanities New York CARES Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal CARES Act; and other generous donors.
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