An early Hanukkah celebration at the OJC

Members of the Oceanside Jewish community got an early start to Hanukkah on Dec. 10 as more than two-dozen children and family members gathered at the Oceanside Jewish Center for a special daytime holiday bash.

Organized by OJC executive board members Glenn Fuchs and Shelley Herbst, the Hanukkah Celebration served as a way to enjoy the holiday with friends and other members of the community.

“We wanted to do it on a weekend,” Fuchs explained. “But we didn’t want it to interfere with any celebrations people were having with their families.

This year, the eight-day holiday began on a Tuesday, leaving only one Sunday to celebrate at home. As a result, the celebration came early.

There were arts and crafts, dreidels and gelt, raffles and candle making. But most importantly, according to Fuchs, the activities were organized and run by kids.

The idea, he said, was to get them involved in community organizing early. The skill might serve them well in their social and professional lives.

“They’re the future of the temple,” Fuchs said. “And we wanted to get them off to a good start.”