About
Light Up The Classroom
We help families, educators, and community volunteers introduce Hanukkah in ways that feel accurate, welcoming, age-appropriate, and engaging for every classroom.
Our mission
Making Hanukkah easy to teach
Light Up the Classroom was created to give Jewish families and educators a simple, thoughtful way to share Hanukkah with non-Jewish students. We believe classroom learning works best when it is warm, clear, and rooted in real human connection.
Our program helps schools present Jewish traditions with confidence while creating positive experiences around Jewish identity and Israel. Each classroom can choose the level of participation that fits its students, schedule, and comfort level.
Our story
Built for real classrooms
From preschool through high school, every classroom is different. That is why Light Up the Classroom is designed to be flexible, practical, and easy to adapt for teachers, parents, and volunteers working with different ages and learning environments.
Instead of a one-size-fits-all presentation, we support meaningful participation at the level that works best for each family or school. The result is a program that feels approachable for adults and memorable for students.
What guides us
A welcoming approach
Everything we create is shaped to help students learn with curiosity and respect while giving adults the tools to lead with confidence.
Accurate content
Age-appropriate activities
Positive Jewish experiences
Flexible participation
Why it matters
Helping students feel included
When children learn about Hanukkah in a thoughtful and engaging way, they gain more than facts. They build familiarity with Jewish traditions, see Jewish identity through positive everyday experiences, and grow more comfortable with classmates whose backgrounds may be different from their own.
That kind of learning can make classrooms feel more inclusive for Jewish students and more welcoming for everyone else. It also gives teachers and volunteers a chance to model curiosity, kindness, and respect through hands-on learning.
“We want every classroom experience to feel welcoming, joyful, and true to the families and traditions it represents.”
Light Up The Classroom
By making Hanukkah easier to introduce, Light Up the Classroom helps schools create moments of connection that students can carry with them long after the lesson ends.
★★★★★
“”Light Up the Classroom gave us a simple, welcoming way to share Hanukkah with students. The activities felt joyful, age-appropriate, and easy for families and teachers to use together.””
Community Partner
Educator and volunteer
Statewide classroom initiative
Join us
Bring Hanukkah to your classroom
Whether you are a parent, educator, school leader, or community volunteer, we can help you choose the right way to participate and make the experience meaningful for students.