Chanukah 2018: 18 Events This Week In Puget Sound

MERCER ISLAND, WA - Chanukah 2018 began on Sunday night, beginning the weeklong "festival of lights." There are plenty of events happening around Puget Sound that you can partake in, even if you're not religious.

What is Chanukah? It's a celebration of the renaming of a holy temple in Jerusalem. In the second century, a group of Jews drove the ruling Greeks out of Jerusalem, retaking their temple. The Jews encountered a small miracle when they went to relight the temple's menorah.

"When they sought to light the Temple's Menorah (the seven-branched candelabrum), they found only a single cruse of olive oil that had escaped contamination by the Greeks. Miraculously, they lit the menorah and the one-day supply of oil lasted for eight days, until new oil could be prepared under conditions of ritual purity," Chabad.org explains.

Here are just a few local Chanukah events in Puget Sound. If you want your event added to the list, email neal.mcnamara@patch.com.

Menorah Lighting at Grand Ridge Plaza (and cool light show!)
Monday 6:30 PM · Ulta Beauty · Issaquah, Washington

Light the Night
Tuesday 6:30 PM · Gay City: Seattle's LGBTQ Center · Seattle

Public Menorah lighting in Green Lake
Tuesday 5:30 PM · Lakeside Plaza · Seattle

BCMH's Annual Chanukah Celebration!
Tuesday 6 PM · Bikur Cholim-Machzikay Hadath · Seattle

A hooping Chanukah Party!
Wednesday 6:30 PM · Grand Ridge Elementary PTSA · Issaquah

Jewish Folktales of the Mediterranean: Ladino Day 2018
Wednesday 7 PM · Kane Hall 130 · Seattle

Chabad @ Amazon Chanukah Happy Hour
Wednesday 4 PM · Amazon Doppler · Seattle

Seriously Good Music + A Hannukah Chanukah Hanukkah Celebration
Thursday, 10 PM · Sea Monster Lounge · Seattle

Light Up the Night - Burger Fest
Thursday 5 PM · Westlake Park · Seattle

Hanukah Party
Thursday 5:45 PM · Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation · Seattle

Malke & the Boychiks and Brivele
Friday, 7:30 PM · Cafe Paloma · Seattle

Chanukah Service & Nosh
Friday 5:45 PM · Bet Alef Meditative Synagogue · Seattle

Chanukah Celebrations at Both Campuses!
Friday 5 PM · Temple De Hirsch Sinai · Seattle

The Chanukah Party
Saturday 8 PM · Russian Center & Hall · Seattle

Kadima Chanukah Party
Saturday 4 PM · 2100 Building · Seattle

Hanukkah Family Dance Party! The LeeVees
Sunday 12 PM · Stroum Jewish Community Center of Greater Seattle · Mercer Island

Spice and Light: A Sephardic Chanukah Celebration
Sunday 7:30 PM · Temple Beth Am · Seattle

SJC Hanukkah Party
Sunday 4 PM · Secular Jewish Circle of Puget Sound · Seattle

Image via Shutterstock