Holiday Programming
Celebrating and Connecting Newcomers to Jewish Life
NCEJ provides grants for holiday how-to workshops and experiential programs that help interfaith families and individuals exploring Judaism learn about holiday traditions. Many of our grantees have used the Jewish holidays as a “hook” to connect new people to Judaism. They use engaging programming, sometimes supplemented with holiday celebration kits, to create an environment that both educates and welcomes newcomers.
Our grants cover marketing, program materials, and other expenses for both single events and multi-session programs. For more details see our Grants Process page.
Below are examples of holiday programs we have funded
Tu b’Shevat
Tu b’Shvat Terrariums - The JCC of Greater Pittsburgh (JCCPGH) (2021)
Tu b’Shvat is the birthday of the trees. The Tu b’Shvat Celebration reminded families of their connection to the earth and in particular to the land of Israel. The terrariums reminded participants of the importance of our natural resources and of the Jewish People’s connection to Eretz Yisrael. The celebration concluded with a Tu b’Shvat kiddush consisting of two kinds of juice.
Much like Jewish tradition teaches that we should plant trees not for ourselves, but for the generations to come, Tu b’Shvat Terrariums will plant the seeds of Judaism for the next generation.
Tikkun Seder Tu b’Shvat - The Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) (2021)
The celebration featured special songs, Jewish study, discussion of the custom of having both red and white wine, fruits of the Land of Israel, assembly of fruit plates from take-home kits, and related themes and values.
As one participant said:
“I thought the Tu b’Shvat Seder was very well done. We had booklets and fruit for each blessing so it was as if we were right there as part of the community even though it was online.”
What Worked for the Program:
The at-home holiday kits created viable experiential activities, not only by having printed materials and booklets at home in Russian for interfaith families, but also the customary foods, ritual items and crafts for the children.
The activities and kits were an effective way to get them involved and prepared, and they now have ritual items and booklets that they can keep for the long-term.
Israel Reform Tu B'shvat Celebration
Purim
Purim Hamantaschen and Purim Players - The JCC of Greater Pittsburgh (JCCPGH) (2021)
As the virtual Purim celebration began, the Zoom screen filled with costumed families. Together families rolled, cut, and filled dough to make hamantaschen while talking about the mitzvot and traditions of Purim. After adults put the hamantaschen in the oven, the JCCPGH lead families in an interactive and participatory Purim shpiel. The goal was to create a long-lasting, fun memory of Purim.
Purim - The Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism (IMPJ) (2021)
The program included a Megillah reading, festive feast, costume competition, Mishloach Manot (Purim basket) parcel delivery, and discussion of the value of friendship. The service and other elements of the Purim celebration were only for registered participants (who were all Russian-speaking interfaith individuals).
“We deeply appreciate the grants awarded by NCEJ for this purpose and we have received strong positive feedback from families who feel more connected to Judaism and more educated as a result.”
- Tamar Roig
Virtual Purim Schmooze and Hamantaschen Bake - Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) (2021)
WRJ hosted two online Purim “Schmoozes” /hamentashen bake sessions, to accommodate women from different time zones. In the first part of the program the participants learned about the holiday, and how to bake hamantaschen. Following the programming, the women went into smaller Zoom rooms and had a chance to learn from each other.
Purim - Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), Tallinn, Estonia (2021)
Prior to the holiday, all families were invited to participate in a “Secret Mordechai” activity – an online lottery that determined who would deliver real-life Mishloach Manot (holiday baskets) to whom. Young children and their parents were able to celebrate Purim outdoors and in person, with a costume parade, games and dances. The JCC’s youth club also enjoyed being outdoors together for a scavenger hunt that had youth counselors, dressed as characters from the Purim story, giving youngsters clues for locating a “lost” Megilla.
Box of Joy - The Buffalo Jewish Federation (2022)
Box of Joy is a box of Purim content designed specifically for multi-faith families where at least one family member does not identify as Jewish. Jewish Buffalo provided similar boxes to families for other Jewish holidays. The kits will contain a variety of items, including a bracelet & bells craft connecting Purim and feminism, a megillah scroll, a grogger, a hamentaschen project, Afghan spices to create a Mishloach Manot (Purim gift package) for a local Afghan evacuee family, and educational materials.
“This project will allow our professionals to connect with these families, building bridges to deeper Jewish connections.”
- Mike Steklof
The Federation will hold an outdoor pickup event for families to pick up their boxes. The staff have found this to be a great way to meet new families in a covid-safe way. Families who cannot attend the pickup event will have their boxes delivered.
Based on feedback from many in Buffalo, the Federation will not be holding any online events, since many families have indicated that they are “zoomed out”. The professional & volunteer teams will reach out to families individually during and after Purim, provide assistance with the activities in the box and find ways to connect them with Jewish Buffalo.
Marketing: The program will be promoted through email communications, text messages, peer networking, social media, and one-on-one outreach from the professional team.
The kits enable families to celebrate Purim at home using curated materials.
Passover
Would You Rather Passover - The JCC of Greater Pittsburgh (JCCPGH) (2021)
This celebration was intended to help families prepare for the upcoming holiday. “Would You Rather”, is a popular format for ice breakers, conversation starters, and all-around amusement in which two equally unpleasant choices are presented and each participant has to make a choice and explain their choice.
For Example:
Question: “Would you rather swim in a lake filled with charoset or maror?”
Answer: “I would rather swim in a lake filled with charoset because I love the taste of all the things mixed together. Also, swimming in maror would probably burn my eyes and make me cry!”
During the celebration, families created several “card containers” that helped mark key points in the Seder. The boxes were filled with “Would You Rather” questions related to the Seder. Through this activity families gained a deeper understanding of the elements, rituals, and food used throughout the Seder. Following the celebration, families could use the question boxes to add conversation and family involvement during their Seders.
“We want them to raise their children as Jews with Jewish values, customs, traditions, foods, celebrations, holidays... as a part of their regular life cycle.”
- Rabbi Ron Symon
Box of Freedom Passover kit - The Buffalo Jewish Federation (Spring 2023)
The educational team produced a curated box of Passover content to help multi-faith families with young children celebrate Passover and connect to the Jewish community. The box offered 4 activities for families to learn about the holiday, including crafts, textual explorations, and projects. There were activities for both younger and older children.
Marketing: The program was promoted through email communications, mass text messages, newspaper ads, social media, and one on one outreach. Funds from the NCEJ grant enabled the Buffalo federation to expand their marketing efforts.
BI in Your Neighbourhood: Passover - Congregation Beth Israel, Vancouver Canada (2021)
The congregation put together a Pesach Kit for families, with haggadahs, a Seder plate, a bag of plagues, kids kiddush cups, and other items. For the first time, there was a small suggested donation. One of the congregation’s rabbis hosted a Zoom Seder on the first night of Pesach where everyone could use their items.
Advertising: The program was advertised through email, social media, posters, individual phone calls reaching out and in-person connections. What seemed to work best? Emails, followed by an individual invitation (either via text or call). Seeing the event advertised either on email or social media, and then in the synagogue was also effective.
“Through BI Neighbourhoods we are able to create a welcoming Jewish environment where families can learn simple and easy traditions, children can participate in Jewish crafts (usually related to holidays, Shabbat, etc.), and families can connect with each other and with Beth Israel.”
- Debra Bulmash
Inclusive Outreach Pesach Seder - Temple Shalom Manitoba, Winnipeg Canada (2024)
This past year Temple Shalom of Manitoba received an unprecedented number of inquiries from people who wanted to learn more about Judaism. In April the congregation will be providing a Seder designed for people attending a Passover Seder for the first time. This will include new Jews by Choice and people who are exploring the possibility of becoming Jewish. The Seder will include uplifting music, contemporary readings, traditional and newer symbolic foods, games and a catered meal. Readings, music, discussions and symbols will reflect a progressive and inclusive Jewish lens.
“The Seder's themes are timeless and will be explored with the goal to make this ritual meaningful and relevant to our modern Jewish lives.”
- Sherry Wolfe Elazar, Jewish Learning Educator
The music, both traditional and contemporary, will encourage people to sing along and will complement the themes of the seder. Before the seder, a playlist will be made available to all attendees to ensure their comfort and familiarity with the music. The seder will be participatory with opportunities for volunteer readers, small group discussions and games to highlight the telling of the Passover story. All materials will be highly accessible to everyone with readings in Hebrew, English, and transliteration. “The message will be that there is room for everyone at our table.”
Cost to Participants: $36
Marketing: The Seder will be promoted in the local Jewish community newspaper, in the Federation’s calendar, on social media, and in the congregation’s email blasts and bulletins.
Program Materials: The NCEJ grant will help cover the cost of the haggadot, the symbolic foods, booklets of contemporary readings and new songs.
Staff Support: The grant will also help cover the cost of security, musicians, a sound technician, and a custodian.
Passover Preparation Workshops for Kavkazi Olim - Midor Lidor
Midor Lidor is an Israeli organization focusing on people who immigrated from the Caucasian Mountain region of the former Soviet Union. The NCEJ grant helped support Passover programming for newcomers to Judaism, and those who did not understand their heritage. Topics included shopping for Passover, the Biblical basis for the holiday and traditions, songs and prayers, and how to make enjoyable and interesting family-oriented Seders.
“Thank you for making this program and Passover such a meaningful experience for everyone.”
- Yisrael Margolin, Director of International Development
One participant said, “As a result of the Midor Lidor workshops, we ran our first Seder, including all our parents, siblings and children, and we stayed up until one in the morning.”
Passover Seder Workshop and Book Festival - The Jewish Enrichment Center (JEC) - Chicago (2019) (pre-Covid)
The program had two parts. First, there was a Seder DIY Workshop. It introduced participants to formats and materials they could use to lead a personalized Seder, one in which people of all ages could grapple with a core Passover theme of their choice (e.g., freedom, refugees, power, responsibility). Many participants felt the workshop gave them the tools to launch meaningful conversations at their own Seders. The workshop also included a discussion of ways to include non-Jewish family and friends in the Seder.
Next, the JEC set up a display of over thirty haggadot in an atrium of a building used by many different groups. The display included descriptions of each haggadah and recommendations for different kinds of seders. The haggadot were available for browsing for over two weeks.
Advertising: The Center advertised on Facebook and Instagram. JEC also purchased an advertisement in the local Jewish federation’s online portal, called OyChicago. OyChicago reached an audience well outside of the Center’s normal reach, including several who attended the program. These online advertisements ran for a full month before the program.
“An NCEJ grant enabled us to advertise our program. We’ve done little advertising in the past, and having a chance to advertise showed us just how beneficial it can be.”
- Sara Grossman
In addition, the Center purchased a print advertisement in the local neighborhood paper, the Hyde Park Herald. JEC also printed postcards about the event and distributed them into local coffee shops, stores, and other buildings. Finally, JEC advertised in the weekly newsletters of local Jewish organizations, e.g., synagogues, a day school, and their own newsletter. Marketing outside of the usual channels was an effective way to reach new people.
A Marvel-ous Passover - Congregation Kol Emeth, Skokie, IL (2022)
Kol Emeth will be hosting an event in April called “Marvel-ous Passover.” The congregation hopes to attract both Jews and Jew-interested people who want to learn more about Passover.
This event will feature Jordan Gorfinkle, a veteran Batman Comic Book editor and creator of the “Passover Haggadah Graphic Novel.” He will teach about the story of Passover through analogies of the 4 children/questions in the Haggadah to the modern-day Marvel superheroes and real-life heroes in sports and politics. By using modern-day superheroes and celebrities to explain characters in the Passover Haggadah, children and adults alike will find a connection to Passover that is both entertaining and scholarly.
Kol Emeth’s goal is to show that the synagogue is a warm and inviting place where interested individuals can gently learn about Jewish holidays and traditions.
Advertising: The event will be publicized on the congregation’s website. In addition, Kol Emeth will send out postcards, put ads in neighborhood newspapers, make fliers and banners, and run Facebook ads for three weeks leading up to the event.
Other Expenses: The grant will cover some of the costs of a security guard, if the event is held in person.
Follow-up: Kol Emeth will collect contact information at the event and then send updates about upcoming programs.
“Funding from NCEJ enables us to attract more participants from a wide variety of backgrounds, ages, and religious practices... Together, we will learn, eat and celebrate in a warm and welcoming environment - the perfect gateway to fostering future interest in Jewish tradition.”
- Jennifer Blitz
Celebrating Passover - Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), Tallinn, Estonia (2021)
Children and adults found a wealth of Pesach information and activities on the Passover page of the JCC Tallin website, including crafts, games, video performances for children, a practical review of Passover traditions, and a video reading of the Haggadah in Russian.
Couples and families also participated in an outdoor, in-person “Afikoman Hunt”, guided by a special mobile app. The JCC Tallinn team developed the activity and its content so they could communicate with participants easily. They decided to use WhatsApp as a tool to make it accessible. This allowed a few people who organized the hunt to send out the tasks and follow the game, and enabled participants to send in their answers in a timely manner.
Online Passover Activities - Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), Riga, Latvia (2021)
For Passover, the Riga JCC organized its online activities in collaboration with a Jewish school in Riga. These included:
- A discussion about freedom with lecturers from Israel and Latvia
- A culinary master class on making desserts from matzah
- A model seder for the entire family
- A session of Pesach songs
- Preparatory sessions with local rabbis for conducting a seder at home
- A Pesach “board game” for younger children
- An online Zoom quest called “Escaping Egypt” for young adults. This was a Passover online event via zoom for students. The JCC Riga partnered with a Jewish educator from Moscow and his team. The event included different workshops all connected to Passover.
Shavuot
Shoebox Sinai - The JCC of Greater Pittsburgh (JCCPGH) (2021)
The story of Moses receiving the Torah is a monumental moment in the story of the Jewish people. Families crafted their own Mt. Sinai, Moses, the Ten Commandments and other elements of the Shavuot story with items from the Shavuout activity kit that families received in advance.
Virtual Shavuout Bake-Along - Women of Reform Judaism (WRJ) (2021)
A chef from Israel, Harry Rubenstein, provided educational background on Shavuot, including why dairy foods are eaten on the holiday. He also baked some dairy sweets.
Advertising: The program was advertised on social media outlets and through paid advertising in Moment magazine.
The Choosing and the Chosen: A Shavuout Reunion and Celebration - Sutton Place Synagogue (SPS), New York City (2024)
SPS will be hosting an erev Shavuot program focused on the concept of choosing Judaism. Shavuot makes the perfect setting for this, given Ruth’s significance to the Jewish story. The format of the event will be a facilitated panel of people in the congregation who have chosen Judaism, followed by a discussion, and then a dairy dinner.
Panel: The panel will feature those who converted with the rabbi nearly 10 years ago, those who recently converted under unique circumstances, those who converted outside of the SPS community but are now active members of the SPS community, and family members of those who converted or whose children’s partner converted, among others. The goal of this panel will be to share experiences and talk about the surprises, challenges, needs, and blessings they’ve discovered from their experiences as Jews. This will also serve as a moment of inspiration and encouragement for audience members who might be considering or in the process of conversion.
Discussion: The audience and panelists will then be split up into discussion groups, to discuss questions that converts are asked upon their conversion. This will allow Jews by choice and Jews by birth to both discuss how they live Jewishly and what the role of their shared Jewish community can play. The central question of this discussion will be - for Jews by birth or Jews by choice, what does it mean to choose Judaism, to embrace Jewish values, community, and lifestyles in a post October 7 world?
Dinner: Finally, everyone will share a dairy meal together to allow for time to celebrate the panelists and build community.
Shabbat
Hava Nagila Havdala with Israeli Food - Congregation Children of Israel, Athens GA (2024)
Congregation Children of Athens, GA is planning a Hava Nagila Havdala service and Israeli dinner for PJ Library families (many of whom are interfaith). Many PJ families have never celebrated Havdalah, and this is an opportunity to introduce them to the concept, as well as to provide a positive experience related to Israel.
Families will make spice containers with mesh bags and whole cloves, to be used later for Havdalah. Then they will be served a dinner of Israeli food--falafel, hummus, pita, etc., and Israeli wine for parents. After that a volunteer will teach Israeli dances. The program will end with Havdalah.
Impact of Prior Programs
Athens has a small Jewish community. Marilyn Gootman, PJ Library Coordinator, states in the application that in the past, when similar programs were undertaken (such as a challah bake and home-based Shabbat dinners) many strong friendship bonds were created and numerous families joined Congregation Children of Israel, the only synagogue in town. Some parents even assumed leadership roles!
Marketing: The program will be promoted via emails and newsletters to all PJ parents, as well as with individual personal outreach to each family and through paperless post.
Ideas to Emulate
Offering positive experiences with a Jewish education component that can lead to Jewish friendships and that provide something Jewish that families can incorporate into their lives.
Providing Israeli wine which is available locally to encourage participants to purchase Israeli products.
To engage folks who have never come to any events, organizers plan to have active families personally contact other families and have a parent create and send out the paperless post so that it is more personal, coming from a peer.
Program Photos
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Challah Detectives - The JCC of Greater Pittsburgh, (JCCPGH) (2020)
The Challah Detectives experience aims to bring families together to make their own challah while learning some of the lesser known traditions surrounding this weekly treat. Together families will mix their ingredients to make dough. While waiting for the dough to rise, families will use their detective skills to discover the answers to questions such as “What does it mean to salt a challah?” Families will also create their own challah cover to be used as they build their own Shabbat traditions. While the challah is rising, families will practice braiding techniques using Play Doh. Families will bake their challah on their own following the program.
Grateful for... Havdalah - The JCC of Greater Pittsburgh, (JCCPGH) (2020)
Grateful for... Havdalah brought families together to experience Havdalah. Each family created a Havdalah kit and had the opportunity to use it in a virtual Havdalah service. Throughout the program, participants brainstormed ways to make gratitude part of a Havdalah experience.
Multi-Session Programs
Joint Distribution Committee - (JDC), JCC Riga, Latvia and Budapest, Hungary
An NCEJ grant helped the JDC expand and strengthen Judaism and Jewish life by funding programs that are welcoming to interested individuals and families in countries across Eastern Europe.
Innovative Idea
The JDC, used NCEJ funds to expand holiday programming at the JCCs in Riga and Budapest, and increase participants' connections with the Jewish community.
Here are examples of some of their outreach efforts:
The creation of a website for each holiday with information to help young adults and families celebrate at home.
“Holiday Ambassadors” – young adults and parents of young kids – organized holiday celebrations in their homes, for their own extended families and friends, making Jewish holidays part of their most intimate circles.
BI in Your Neighbourhood - Congregation Beth Israel, Vancouver Canada
BI reaches out throughout the year to engage and connect interfaith families, with holiday programming such as a Shabbat dinner and a Sukkah gathering. Families learn about holiday traditions and rituals, while participating in crafts and other activities. BI also creates Jewish-themed baskets (with ritual items, recipes, and other materials) that are delivered to families’ homes, to make celebrating the holidays easier.
Jewish Makerspace - Temple B’nai Torah, Bellevue, WA
Jewish Makerspace is a hands-on opportunity for families to learn about and begin to experience Jewish holidays. It will be open once a month from 10 am- 3 pm, focusing on one holiday each time. The goal of each gathering is for individuals to learn how to celebrate an upcoming Jewish holiday and also walk away with handmade ritual items. The program is geared towards learners of all backgrounds.
Marketing: The program will be promoted on an online/print Seattle magazine for families, and on Instagram and Facebook. In addition, flyers will be distributed locally and postcards will be sent out to the synagogue’s full mailing list.
The NCEJ grant also provides for security at the synagogue when the Makerspace is taking place.
“Our synagogue has become known in the Puget Sound area as an ‘entry way to Judaism’ for folks interested in exploring Jewish life...The result is that we have a lot of religious school families whose entire family unit are new to Judaism.” - Rabbi Molly Weisel
Innovative Idea
Incorporating Mentorship: The synagogue has an established conversion mentorship program. The rabbi plans to mention it to Makerspace participants who might be interested in additional educational opportunities.
Judaism Outdoors - An Introduction to Jewish Holidays - Ma'yan Tikvah, Wayland, MA
Ma'yan Tikvah is a congregation literally without walls, meeting outdoors throughout the year. Judaism Outdoors - An Introduction to Jewish Holidays will be a series of five seasonal nature walks that will bring earth-based Judaism to life for participants, giving them an introduction to select Jewish holidays while connecting the holidays to the natural world.
During each walk, families with children in K-3 will engage in hands-on, age-appropriate activities that will introduce foundational aspects of the holiday: Shabbat, Hanukkah, Tu B’Shvat, Purim, and Passover. After each session families will take home a children’s book about the holiday and a kit filled with materials for nature-related activities and easy, healthy kid-friendly recipes, along with instructions and handouts to make it easy to celebrate at home.
Marketing: Judaism Outdoors will be geared toward people with little or no knowledge of Jewish holidays and will be advertised in general media outlets (both free and paid) to reach those families.
Program Materials: Ma’yan Tikvah plans on providing
- Copies of “The Family Treasury of Jewish Holidays” by Malka Druker
- Printed handouts for home celebrations
- Materials for holiday kits
Rosh Hashanah
Sounds of the Season - The JCC of Greater Pittsburgh, (JCCPGH) (2020)
Sounds of the Season used creative experiences to immerse families in welcoming the New Year. Learning the sounds of the shofar and practicing the notes connected families to the global Jewish community. Building on the “call” from the shofar, families created a wind chime of Intentions for the coming year.
Chanukah
Donuts in the Dark - The JCC of Greater Pittsburgh, (JCCPGH) (2020)
Shining a light on the determination of the Maccabees, families were challenged to create a chanukiah using donuts, donut holes, frosting, and other edible treats. Once all families completed their challenge, everyone recited the blessings and “light” the chanukiyot using glow sticks for candles.
Holiday Celebration Boxes
Some grantees are combining virtual or hybrid programming with supplementary holiday or ritual boxes that are delivered to homes, picked up by participants, or downloaded after registration. The goal is to enrich the educational experience and to increase the connections to Judaism and the sponsoring organizations.
The kits provided an opportunity for the sponsoring organization to publicize its outreach efforts. The participants received booklets and ritual items they could use in the future, as well as non-perishable holiday food and craft materials. The kits also helped families be more involved with the online programming.
Program Kit Content Ideas by Holiday
Program Contact Information:
- The Buffalo Jewish Federation: For more details contact Mike Steklof, Director of Jewish Experience.
- Congregation Beth Israel, Vancouver: For more information contact Debra Bulmash, BI Neighborhoods Coordinator.
- Congregation Children of Israel: For more information contact Marilyn Gootman PJ Library Coordinator.
- Congregation Kol Emeth: For more information contact Jennifer Blitz, Board Member.
- The Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism: Contact Tamar Roig, Director of Partnership Development, IMPJ, for more information.
- JCC of Greater Pittsburgh: For more details contact Rabbi Ron Symons, Senior Director of Jewish Life or Danielle West, PJ Library coordinator.
- The Jewish Enrichment Center of Chicago: For details contact Sara Grossman, Assistant Director.
- The Joint Distribution Committee: For more information contact Sandy Katz, Director of Strategic Relations.
- Ma'yan Tikvah: For more information contact Rabbi Katy Allen.
- Sutton Place Synagogue: For more details contact Abby Johnson-Guez, Director of Membership and Development.
- Temple B’nai Torah: For more information contact Rabbi Molly Weisel.
- Women of Reform Judaism: For details contact Rabbi Marla Feldman, Executive Director.
Find ideas for advertising your program by checking out our Marketing Gallery
Check out our Marketing Gallery. NCEJ reimburses for some of the costs for graphic design and printing. Examples of promotional material we have funded recently include: print and digital ads, banners, postcards, brochures, and flyers. We encourage grantees to consider trying hyperlocal media as well as national sources.
Helpful Links and Additional Resources
We add articles and links for Jewish holidays here on our Resources page. If you would like to feature your page or program, please contact us, as we update this list throughout the year to help others with their programs.
Looking for Funding Ideas?
Are you thinking of offering a holiday program that will connect new people to Judaism and your organization? We can put you in touch with grantees who can give you ideas for effective programs that you can try in your community.
Have an idea but not sure it meets our guidelines? Please reach out to us at 301-802-4254, or contact Ellen Gerecht, Executive Director.
Please share our grant-giving opportunities with your colleagues. We accept applications throughout the year.
