New Changes For The New Year!

 

It’s a brand-new year and we are beyond excited to be able to expand our mission this year to include oft forgotten seniors and our Jewish friends. We are overjoyed at the outpouring of support from our community and the ability it gives us to be able to do this. Read below to see what impact your heart felt gift has had on recipients.

 

Heart ornaments made of sewn felt in whites and blues with a Star of David on each.
A thank you note from a student in New York thanking Operation Hanukkah for caring about and remembering their communities.
Thank you note from a New York student
A challah cover with an image of a menorah and the words "Happy Hanukkah".
A challah cover with an image of a menorah and the words "Happy Hanukkah".
A thank you note from a fire survivor in California thanking Operation Hanukkah for shining light and kindness on them.
Thank you note from Jewish fire survivor in California
A thank you note from a student in a school in New York thanking Operation Hanukkah for thinking of their fellow Jewish fire survivors in California.
Thank you note from a student in New York
A blue star of David hanging decoration with iridescent blue and azure beads hanging from the bottom of it.
A blue star of David hanging decoration with iridescent blue and azure beads hanging from the bottom of it.
A dark blue kitchen towel with silver stars of David and a blue and white checked border on top.
A dark blue kitchen towel with silver stars of David and a blue and white checked border on top.
Dec. 6, 2025
We celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah next week, but this box from California holds a different kind of miracle.
Hand-painted menorahs.
Crocheted dreidels.
Challah covers stitched with love by Christian grandmothers and teenagers who have never met the Jewish families whose homes burned in last year’s Palisades fires.
Every piece was made by hand by volunteers led by my friend Carolyn Nicolaysen. When Carolyn saw a synagogue in flames, she remembered her great-grandmother risking her life in Nazi Germany to shop at Jewish stores. She refused to look away.
So she created Operation Hanukkah: beauty reborn from ashes, sent across the country so no child would light candles remembering only loss.
Carolyn and your team at Operation Hanukkah…from every family who will smile when they unpack your gifts, from every heart that learned again that we are not alone—thank you.
You turned strangers into family. This Hanukkah, our Shehecheyanu is also for you.
May the God of miracles pour endless light on you and every hand that helped.
– Rabbi Jarrod Grover
Dear Operation Hanukkah,
I am a teacher in New York my friend who lost her home in the fires in California shared your kindness on her Facebook page. My heart exploded with comfort and joy. My heart has been so full of sadness since October 7th and the sadness reappeared heavier since the Hanukkah massacre in Australia.
Seeing your words and beautiful Hanukkah decorations sent to Jewish families who lost their homes in the fire touched my heart. I had to write to you and thank you for the kindness you have shown to the Jewish community. Your support means everything to all the Jews affected by the fires and not. (I was not)
I shared what you all have done with my students and they too were so touched some even started to cry! I have enclosed some of their letters.
We are forever grateful for all of you! You are the good in this world and together we can extinguish the evil! Merry Christmas and happy, healthy new year.
With gratitude,
Jill Butensky

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