How we Celebrate Chanukah with Kids in Australia
Chanukah is not an important holiday for me, but I never thought that I would be celebrating Chanukah in Australia with my kids.
From our first Chanukah in Brisbane in 2020 to now, we have found that we are not the only ones here celebrating Chanukah. Maybe it is because things were closed down that first year or maybe it is because we have been able to explore more of Brisbane, but we have found Chanukah celebrations and are not stuck celebrating entirely on our own.
Keep reading to find out how we celebrate Chanukah in Brisbane, Australia.
Chanukah in the City
Each year, Chanukah in the City is held in Brisbane. It is an event put on by Chabad, and to be fair, I should have checked out the Chabad events sooner, as they have a presence worldwide and are known for putting on Jewish events.
We used to attend the Chabad’s Chanukah events in Clearwater, Florida, when we lived there, and it is similar here in Brisbane.
Chanukah in the City included food (latkes, jelly donuts, falafel, etc.) as well as entertainment. There was a large menorah, which was lit at sundown.
While we tend to go early as we have young kids, the party really takes place after the sun goes down.
A Little Bit of Background:
I will never forget the time that I was staying with my in-laws during the census. This happened before they were my in-laws, before we were engaged.
In Australia, the census was supposed to be taken by everyone who was at your house on a certain night, and I happened to be there.
They gave it to me to fill out, and one of the questions, or more specifically, one lack of an answer, will always stick out.
There was no place to tick off that I am Jewish.
I forgot how many religions were listed as an option, but Jewish was not there. I had to tick “other.”
At the time, I was living in New York City. While I grew up as one of the only Jewish kids at school, I wasn’t the only one. I may have been the only one in a particular class, but I always knew other Jewish families. It was extremely strange not to have my religion listed.
The Jewish Population in Australia
I knew when we arrived in Australia in October that I needed to bring Chanukah supplies.
After a quick search, when we decided to move near the Sunshine Coast, I found that only 127 Jewish people were living in the area.
I packed a menorah, candles, and all the dreidels that I could find.
It was too early to find Chanukah supplies in the stores, and I did not want to order any as we were trying to make our luggage as light as possible. I left the kids’ menorahs at home and brought the lightest one we could find.
We moved to Brisbane on the first night of Chanukah, and the Jewish population here is slightly larger at 836 people.
I have joined a few groups in Brisbane, and one person was asking where they could find a menorah and candles. Most people said that the Jewish population in Melbourne is larger (more than 91,000), but that isn’t helpful when it is the first night of Chanukah, and you need supplies.
I am glad that we thought ahead and brought what we could.
The Only Jewish Kids in Class
Before we moved to Australia, I went into the kids’ classes and read a book about Chanukah. I bring dreidels and gelt for the class to take home, and my kids teach them how to light a menorah.
We ended up bringing 15 dreidels here just in case, and while Z didn’t end up in school, M had more than 15 kids in her class. I didn’t think about trying to order more from Amazon until too late. Unlike the overnight service that we get in the States, it takes longer to receive items here. M ended up bringing in the dreidels and teaching her class how to play, but unfortunately, they weren’t able to keep one.
M’s teacher called me one day and told me that M had told her that she was Jewish. She was wondering what M would be comfortable doing while the class celebrated Christmas.
I told her that M’s kindergarten teacher had made her Chanukah items when she could, but M can help her class celebrate Christmas as well.
She brought home a few cards from her classmates, and her teacher ended up making her a Chanukah-themed activity book, which was nice and unexpected.
M made herself a countdown to Chanukah chain link, like the one her kindergarten teacher had made her. She made me help her make Chanukah decorations, as we did not bring any.
Since we moved to Brisbane, I have ordered dreidels online and found gelt in shops. While it is not Chanukah gelt, that is okay. Gold chocolate coins will do.
The kids bring in dreidels and gelt to their classes and pass them out. They teach their classmates how to play, and everyone tells me how much fun they have learning about our holiday.
How We Celebrated Chanukah in Australia
Chanukah is not one of our bigger holidays, but of course, it is the kids’ favorite as they get presents. We have celebrated by lighting the candles each night, including nights with my in-laws and sister-in-law.
The kids taught their aunt how to play dreidel, and we ate latkes.
I love latkes, but I am not usually the one who has to make them. We do not have a blender or food processor, but we do have a grater. I made them vegan this year, for my sister-in-law, and served them with homemade applesauce (and vegan burgers). Both of those recipes have eggs in them, but I used a substitute, and both came out well.
I didn’t bring any gelt with us, but my kids got some from their aunt and also their godmother, who mailed them a package from New York. She also included PEZ, which my kids call “candy feeders,” and they claim was their favorite Chanukah present last year. The presents don’t have to be big; they enjoy getting something.
Celebrating Chanukah in Brisbane
Although we planned on heading back to the US, we were still in Australia for our second Australian Chanukah.
I ordered dreidels on Amazon with plenty of time to get them shipped to Australia.
Gelt is harder to ship, so I just bought chocolate Australian coins. This time of year, they are available at stores like Woolworths and K-Mart.
Giant Menorah Lighting in Brisbane
I did some research and found that the Chabad would be lighting a giant menorah in Brisbane City on the first night of Chanukah in 2021.
The event was scheduled from 7 pm-8 pm, and we showed up at 6:30. The menorah was already lit, and no one was there.
Giant menorah lightings are popular in the US, and there is often a small party along with it.
We hung out for a while, but besides a few people also hoping to join in the celebration, no one showed up.
We were out of town for Chanukah 2022, but found that Chabad was holding Chanukah in the City in 2023 and lit the giant menorah. This time, there were lots of people there.
Since then, there have always been people at the menorah lighting in Brisbane.
Teaching About Chanukah in School
I sent the kids to school with our menorah and candles so that they could show their classes how to light the menorah.
They gave each classmate a bag with a dreidel and gelt, plus directions on how to play dreidel.
Both classes played Dreidel during class.
Family Chanukah Party in Brisbane
We had my husband’s family over for Chanukah dinner.
The kids lit the menorah, Mark made latkes, and we had a little celebration.
Now that we have made friends in Brisbane, we invite them to our Chanukah celebration as well.
Chanukah Books for Kids
If you would like to read more about Chanukah with children, here are a few of our favorite books.
Happy Hanukkah, Curious George
Meet the Latkes
Clifford Celebrates Hanukkah
Simon and the Bear
