Chanukah in Carefree

Nightly Menorah Lighting

December 25, 2024 – January 1, 2025 | 5:30pm
at the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion
in Carefree, Arizona

This is an outdoor event with enhanced security measures in place.
We are also LIVE streaming on selected nights. Please use the links provided below to LIVE STREAM on a specific night, or to view the recording of the event afterwards.

Chanukah in Carefree

Our selected Charity (Spirit of Giving recipient) for
Chanukah in Carefree 2024 is the Foothills Food Bank and Resource Center.

We will be collecting non-perishable food donations each night of Chanukah. Please go to
the Charities tab for a list of the most needed items to bring.

Chanukah Events Calendar and LIVE Stream Links

chanukah night 1

Wednesday, December 25th
5:30pm MST

1st NIGHT

FOOTHILLS SHEVATIM
SOCIAL NIGHT

Enjoy the 1st night of Chanukah
with a special program of readings, songs, and comedy

While enjoying delicious Potato Pancakes
(latkes), and locally baked Challah and
Chanukah Cookies
chanukah night 2

Thursday, December 26th
5:30pm MST

2nd NIGHT

TEMPLE CHAI
MUSICAL EVENING

With
Cantor Ross Wolman &
Temple Chai’s Adult Choir


While enjoying delicious Chinese Food
provided by Jade Palace.

Challah loaves baked locally
will also be sold this evening.

chanukah night 3

Friday, December 27th
5:30pm MST

3rd NIGHT

TEMPLE KOL AMI
SHABBAT

Enjoy Chanukah Shabbat
with Temple Kol Ami Rabbi
Schneider, Cantor Noa and the
Temple Congregational band
with the Bauman Family

While enjoying delicious Sufganiyot

chanukah night 4

Saturday, December 28th
5:30pm MST

4th NIGHT
CONGREGATION KEHILLAH
HAVDALAH

Participate in the wonderful
Chanukah tradition with
Rabbi Bonnie Sharfman

While enjoying Sufganiyot
and other delicious traditional treats

chanukah night 5

Sunday, December 29th
5:30pm MST

5th NIGHT
PHOENIX HOLOCAUST
ASSOCIATION

Featured Speaker:
Jack Adler, Holocaust Survivor

While enjoying delicious Sufganiyot

chanukah night 6

Monday, December 30th
5:30pm MST

6th NIGHT
VALLEY OF THE SUN JCC
AND THE CENTER FOR JEWISH PHILANTHROPY

Bring the whole family for a fun night of music, games, arts & crafts, and more with the talented Erez Kessler

Enjoy delicious Chanukah Cookies and
Sufganiyot with Hot Chocolate

chanukah night 7

Tuesday, December 31st
5:30pm MST

7th NIGHT
DESERT FOOTHILLS JEWISH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

Enjoy a special Chanukah celebration bringing in the new year

Have a toast with sparkling cider and
enjoy delicious Sufganiyot and other
traditional treats

chanukah night 8

Wednesday, January 1st
5:30pm MST

8th NIGHT
COMMUNITY NIGHT:
Carefree Cave Creek
Chamber of Commerce

Celebrate with your community
on the last night of Chanukah and
the first day of the New Year

Have a toast with sparkling cider,
delicious Potato Pancakes (Latkes) and
other traditional sweet treats.
Chanukkah in Carefree Celebration in 2023

Chanukah in Carefree
Event Details

Sheryl Greenspan will lead this evening of meaningful readings, holiday singing lead by a local Cantor, and fun entertainment by a talented local ventriloquist.  This wonderful evening promises to be rich for the soul and tasty for your stomach as you enjoy local, homemade and traditional Chanukah treats.

This evening of music will feature Cantor Ross Wolman & the Temple Chai Adult Choir. There will be a mix of classics and new tunes, so please join us for singing and frelich fun! Also enjoy a Jewish “Christmas” tradition of eating Chinese Food, which will be generously provided by Jade Palace.

Temple Kol Ami’s Rabbi and Cantor will be leading a beautiful Chanukah Shabbat with their Congregational band and the Bauman family, who have been involved with Chanukah in Carefree since this event started in 2017. Please come, enjoy and participate in a traditional Shabbat ceremony on this third night of Chanukah with the whole community. Please also enjoy delicious sufganiyot and other Chanukah treats.

Rabbi Bonnie Sharfman will conduct the closing ceremony of Shabbat (Havdalah) on the 4th night of Chanukah. Along with cantorial soloist Erica Erman, Rabbi will lead us in a joyful, family friendly sing-along not to be missed! We will be enjoying sufganiyot and other delicious Chanukah treats.

Jack Adler was born in Poland in 1929. He witnessed the decay of humanity while enduring life in two ghettos and the horrors of three concentration camps. His younger sister was killed at Auschwitz, his older sister died at Bergen-Belsen, his brother and mother died in the Pabianice ghetto in Poland, and his father in Dachau. At 16, he was liberated by American soldiers and moved to the U.S. as a war orphan. Jack now speaks all over the United States and internationally to spread his message of living without hate. Though his entire family was murdered by the Nazis, he still has hope for the human race and emphasizes the importance of respecting others. Jack’s take on hatred, racism, bigotry, and misused religious beliefs challenges audiences to analyze their own beliefs and adhere to the principles of the Golden Rule: treat others as we ourselves want to be treated.

Erez Kessler will be leading this evening for The Valley of the Sun JCC and Center for Jewish Philanthropy (CJP). We will have music, games, activities, and arts and crafts for the children in the community to enjoy. Delicious holiday cookies, sufganiyot and hot chocolate will also be served.

President Carol Consalvo invites the community to a special Chanukah celebration bringing in the new year. Enjoy some music, readings and sip on some Sparkling Cider before celebrating your New Years Eve in your special way.

Come ring in the new year on the last night of Chanukah and the first day of the calendar year with the Carefree Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce. Support your local businesses and celebrate our wonderful community. Stroll from booth to booth and get to know local Cave Creek and Carefree small businesses who make our community so great! A percentage of proceeds from this evening will be donated to the Foothills Food Bank and Resource Center. It’s a great way to support our community, celebrate the new year and help us light up the last night of Chanukah. Sweet treats, delicious Potato Pancakes (latkes) and Sparkling cider also awaits all our guests. Please also come this evening to witness the drawing of the biggest raffle prizes, benefiting the Foothills Food Bank on this last night of Chanukah, including an Antigua trip being donated by the Carefree Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce.