MFA Hanukkah Celebration

Come together for an evening of art, music, and activities in celebration of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. Join a community gathering full of performances, art that highlights the diversity of Jewish cultures and identities, and much more. Presented in partnership with the Vilna Shul, Boston’s center for Jewish culture; and Combined Jewish Philanthropies. EVENTS Community Partners 5–8:30 pm Shapiro Family Courtyard Meet representatives from our community partners, including Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, Gateways, and the Vilna Shul, and learn about the resources and programs they offer. Drop-In Art Making: Decorative Dreidels 5–9 pm (last entry 8:45 pm) Druker Family Pavilion Come embellish wooden dreidels and “coins” with paint markers to create your own unique set! Then get inspired by other Judaica objects in our gallery, <a href="https://www.mfa.org/gallery/intentional-beauty">“Intentional Beauty Jewish Ritual Art from the Collection.”</a> Hanukkah Sensory Exploration 5–7 pm Riley Seminar Room Experience the Festival of Lights through a multisensory celebration with Gateways: Access to Jewish Education. Engage your sense of touch with sensory bins featuring dreidels, gelt, and candles—and see if you can assemble a complete set of nine candles to bring home for the final night of Hanukkah. Then, use your sense of sight to enjoy shimmery sensory bottles and a Hanukkah flashlight scavenger hunt that captures the glow and spirit of the holiday. Hanukkiah 5–10 pm Shapiro Family Courtyard The 2025 hanukkiah, or Hanukkah menorah, commemorates more than ten years of the beloved Hanukkah community celebration at the MFA. Originally created by artists Jeff Hesser, Dare Matheson, and Mike Mandel for Hanukkah in 2015, these larger-than-life “candles” were part of “Between Lands,” one of the first virtual reality experiences to take place in a major museum. Story Time with Gateways 5:15 and 6:15 pm Riley Seminar Room Join Tali Cohen Carrus, senior director of Programs at Gateways: Access to Jewish Education, as she reads Melly’s Menorah by Amye Rosenberg. This engaging and inclusive activity invites families and children to celebrate Hanukkah with a story that brings light, learning, and connection. Hanukkah Highlights Tours 5:30 and 7 pm Meet in Sharf Visitor Center Take a 30-minute tour through the galleries, looking at objects that highlight and connect to Jewish heritage. ASL interpreter available at 7 pm Face Painting 5:30–7:30 pm (last session 7:20 pm) Shapiro Family Courtyard Get your face painted and wear Hanukkah happiness on your cheek! The Light We Share: A Global Hanukkah Resonance 5:30–6 pm Shapiro Family Courtyard Founded by Yoona Kim, the Global Yiddish Orchestra (GYO) brings together diverse musical voices to explore the unifying spirit of klezmer in an interconnected world. This special performance reimagines the story of Hanukkah—the rekindling of light and hope amid darkness—as a celebration for all humanity. Through the deep, resonant tones of the ajaeng, a traditional Korean string instrument, GYO weaves a dialogue between cultures, where Klezmer’s joyous soul meets Korea’s expressive timbre. The ensemble features Yoona Kim on ajaeng, Nat Seelen on clarinet, Mattias Kaufmann on accordion, Kirsten Lamb on bass, and Paul July Joseph on percussion. Spotlight Talk: The Compelling Story of a Torah Ark from Chelsea 5:45 pm Gallery 231 Join Simona Di Nepi, Charles and Lynn Schusterman Curator of Judaica, in “Intentional Beauty: Jewish Ritual Art from the Collection” to hear the story of how a Torah ark was rescued from a synagogue in Chelsea, Massachusetts, and found its way to the MFA. ASL interpreter available A. J. Rubin 5:45–6:15 pm Gallery 168 You might have seen A. J. Rubin playing trumpet while perched on his bassist big brother’s shoulders, leading a klezmer band at an international music festival in a 13th-century Spanish abbey, or zipping through Charlie Parker solos on kazoo while juggling bowling pins. Now is your chance to experience him live, in a performance aimed at families with younger people. Join A. J. for some music, dancing, and clowning around. Opening Procession 6:15 pm Meet in Gallery 168 Join the grand parade! Musicians performing throughout the evening join together to lead a procession that starts in Gallery 168, winds through the Museum, and ends in Shapiro Family Courtyard. Hannukah Blessing 6:30 pm Shapiro Family Courtyard Gather with Rabbi Marc Baker, president and CEO of Combined Jewish Philanthropies, for a community candle lighting on the fifth night of Hanukkah. ASL interpreter available Looking Back: Stepping Forward with Hanukkah Band! and Rachel Linsky Dancers 6:50–7:20 pm Shapiro Family Courtyard Experience a one-of-a-kind performance as choreographer Rachel Linsky debuts a selection of dances from her new show Looking Back, Stepping Forward set to an arrangement of Hasidic nigunim, or traditional melodies. Featuring members of Ezekiel’s Wheels Klezmer Band, the Klezmer Conservatory Band, Naftule’s Dream, and more, Hanukkah Band! performs the score live, followed by a set of classic Hanukkah songs. Spotlight Talk: Rembrandt and the Jews in the Dutch Republic 7:30 pm Gallery 243A Look closely at three works on view in the new exhibition <a href="https://www.mfa.org/exhibition/reality-and-imagination-rembrandt-and-the-jews-in-the-dutch-republic">“Reality and Imagination: Rembrandt and the Jews in the Dutch Republic”</a> with Hannah McIsaac, Bailey Pekar, and Jenna Wendler, students in Boston University’s History of Art and Architecture doctoral program. Examine the intersections between Rembrandt’s art and Jewish life within the Netherlands. ASL interpreter available KANTIKA 7:30–7:50 pm Gallery 168 Hypnotizing melodies, captivating soundscapes, and powerful lyrics: KANTIKA is a multilingual tour de force. Bringing together traditional Ladino songs with newly composed music and English lyrics, KANTIKA showcases the family heritage and musical virtuosity of siblings Tutti and Shaqed Druyan and acclaimed Puerto Rican saxophonist, pianist, and composer Edmar Colón. Hora with Hanukkah Band! 8–8:30 pm Shapiro Family Courtyard Hanukkah Band! ends the night by leading a joyous hora. Bring your dancing shoes! Dining Specials Enjoy a two- or three-course prix fixe menu at New American Café inspired by Hanukkah. Looking for a snack? Head to Taste for potato latkes and donuts. <a href="https://www.mfa.org/visit/dining">Learn more about dining at the MFA</a>.

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MFA Hanukkah Celebration

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