Young Friends of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust will light up Hanukkah with latke-making lesson, a cocktail-making demonstration and a Menorah-lighting ceremony this week.
Pivoting due to the pandemic, Young Friends of the Museum have transitioned the annual Light Up The Night event, previously an annual, in-person holiday celebration, into a social media event series in light of health and safety concerns. The virtual events will be showcased exclusively on the Museum’s Instagram – @museumofjewishheritage – throughout the holiday.
“Hanukkah is a time for giving and receiving presents, and so our Young Friends, who have been incredibly supportive of the Museum, are presenting these wonderful virtual gifts to brighten up this most festival of holidays,” said Jack Kliger, president and CEO of the Museum. “Even though we all remain apart physically, these events will bring us together and fill us with joy, celebration and community.”
Young Friends is a group of young, Jewish professionals (ages 21-39) who are involved in an array of dynamic programming that celebrates Jewish heritage and preserves Holocaust memory. The Event Chair is Marc Schlesinger and Host Committee Members are: Sonja Cabasso, Spencer Gordon, Ryan Greene, Alyssa Greengrass Sommer, Michael Handman, Cali Hersch, Matthew Rubin and Jaclyn Steinbach.
The Light Up the Night Series: A Young Friends Instagram Takeover will be held virtually on IGTV to support the Museum. Audiences can contribute here.
The celebration will unfold at 7:00 p.m. EST over three of the holiday’s eight nights and feature three virtual events:
- A latke-making demonstration led by Madison and Park Hospitality Group’s David Teyf, who is the executive chef and operates Lox at Cafe Bergson at the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust on Thursday, December 10.
- A cocktail-making class with Evan Hawkins, co-founder of Big Fun Booze Club, on Monday, December 14.
- A Menorah-lighting ceremony outside of the Museum, located in Battery Park City, with a few members of the Young Friends board on Thursday, December 17.
Organizers are encouraging supporters of the Museum, or anyone planning to watch the events, to contribute to the Museum at this time.


