Congregation Or Chadash wanted to open its doors to the wider Jewish community, and what better opportunity than a celebration of the Festival of Lights?
The Damascus Reform temple held its inaugural Montgomery County Upcounty Chanukah party for children from birth to age 6 and their families on Sunday, Dec. 7.
“A lot of people don’t realize that there is a synagogue in Damascus,” said Meghan Howard, the co-chair of Or Chadash’s membership committee. “We wanted people to be aware that we are here and that we are excited to welcome people from all different backgrounds … that may not feel welcome everywhere.”
The synagogue serves families in Damascus, Clarksburg, Germantown and the surrounding areas, and Or Chadash wants to invite more in.
“Chanukah is a festival of lights, and lights and warmth and good food — jelly doughnuts — are all symbols for a deeper sense of belonging and a deeper sense of family,” Howard added.
A 6-foot inflatable dinosaur wearing a yarmulke greeted the 12 young attendees as they entered Or Chadash’s building. The party featured a Chanukah story time with a teen from the community, arts and crafts, a menorah ring toss, make-your-own menorah, puzzles, coloring and Chanukah gift bags.
“It’s not Chanukah without gelt,” Howard said.
The party was a low-stakes chance for children and the community to spend time together.
“Kids being less inhibited than adults, they easily started playing together, and some knew each other from our religious school,” Jack Goldman, a member of Or Chadash, told Washington Jewish Week.
“Once you get a group of kids together, they just play on their own, and we were not trying to have a strict program,” Howard added. “And the parents were playing with the kids, or they were talking among themselves, and it was a really nice opportunity for people to just be out and celebrate the holiday and have the kids have fun without a lot of pressure.”
Rabbi Alison Kobey mingled with attendees as children played. Kids and their families noshed on sufganiyot, or jelly doughnuts.
“It was fun to see them having so much fun and a sense of community in a time where that seems fragile,” Howard said.
The party for “littles” marked a first for Or Chadash — while the synagogue’s religious school students celebrate Chanukah together every year, Or Chadash hasn’t previously done programming for kids younger than 6.
The event drew in members, brand new members and nonmembers alike, Howard said: “It was a good mix.”
“People who were either new to us entirely or relatively new could talk to people who were already established and find out questions from another person, not from the rabbi,” she added. “Our rabbi is wonderful, but sometimes it’s intimidating to approach a rabbi with questions about the religious school or [Jewish family life].”
The party, originally scheduled for an hour, lasted 90 minutes, according to Goldman: “It certainly appeared that everyone had a good time.”
Howard and the Or Chadash community are already planning future events geared toward tots.
“At Or Chadash, we have been doing monthly potlucks, which children are welcome at, but we wanted to expand that idea and we are going to follow up with Purim parties and our Passover party as well for kids,” Howard said.
These other celebrations will also be open to the community: “We really love our synagogue, and we want to share it with as many people as possible,” she said.
“The happiest I was about it was the fact that people came and had a good time,” Howard said. “To have people come and enjoy those moments and eat doughnuts together and watch the children play … shows that you can get together, enjoy a Jewish holiday together and make memories as a community.”
