Hanukkah Pajama Jam a Community Success

JKIDS (the Jewish Federation’s new brand for family-friendly programming) hit a home run on their premiere event, the Hanukkah Pajama Jam! Over one thousand kids and parents came to the Stroum Jewish Community Center on December 6 to rock the house in their pajamas! The Hanukkah Pajama Jam featured the award winning children’s entertainer Robbo, a gym loaded with arts and crafts projects, PJ Library storytime and more. This new event partnership between the Jewish Federation and the SJCC, with lead sponsors JTNews and ParentMap, drew nearly 20 community sponsors from the Jewish community, spanning all levels of observance.

See photos below!

Families came from all over the Puget Sound area to spend the day playing, dancing, and celebrating the festival of lights in their pajamas. All of the sponsor activities made for a fun and unique setting for young Jewish families to see firsthand what the Seattle Jewish community has to offer. Seattle’s PJ Library Manager, Stefanie Somers, attributed the success of the event to the strength and value of having a strong volunteer committee, lead by Talya Jeffries, to help with marketing and outreach efforts.

At the Jewish Federation table, kids decorated Hanukkah cards for children just like them, but living in Israel in our partnership cities of Hof Ashkelon and Kiryat Malachi. There was something for everyone, including the JCC’s make-your-own dreidel booth, an olive oil press demonstration, and cookie decorating, just to name a few.

Hanukkah canvas murals were created by hundreds of little hands and will be turned into permanent pieces of artwork hung on the JCC walls, continuing to echo the excitement of the day for years to come.

It was obvious to all that this was one Hanukkah party you did not want to miss! Next year when someone asks you “What’s the best way to celebrate Hanukkah?” the obvious answer is, “In your pajamas, of course!”

Photos by Barbie Hull