Hanukkah Tzedakah

Want to teach your children that Hanukkah is about more than 8 nights of presents? Here are some ideas for Hanukkah tzedakah projects that are fun and rewarding for the whole family:

  • Turn one night into a Hanukkah baking night! Bake cookies, brownies, cupcakes or muffins to deliver to a local homeless shelter such as Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless.
  • Make home-made dog biscuits (find one recipe here), and/or no-sew pet blankets (cute tutorial here), and deliver to Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center.
  • Attend Winterfest: Arts and Crafts Show on Saturday, December 14th at Takoma Park Middle School from 10am-4pm to support Small Things Matter. Smallthingsmatter.org is a local non-profit founded on the idea that small acts of kindness can make a big impact on someone’s life. Their projects include Books-for-Bedtime Literacy Program, Crafting for Charity, food drives, and more! Admission on 12/14 is free and there will be over 50 local artisans and vendors, live music and performances, and much more!
  • Give Gelt! A present is oh-so-nice, but when you give your children the gift of money, they can transform it into anything they wish. Giving gelt is a gift of faith. It says “I trust you to use this money for good and I’m confident that the effects will be positive and permanent” (Elisha Greenbaum). Giving gelt to our children, and teaching them to use the money wisely and responsibly, is a gift that keeps on giving!