In this article, you'll learn the following:
London has a thriving Jewish community, with around 200,000 British Jews living in Greater London and the surrounding areas. Hanukkah is one of the biggest events in the Jewish calendar, and every year London lights up in celebration of the event.
From public menorah lighting to latke-eating, there’s plenty to do during Hanukkah in London. Our guide has everything you need to plan your Hanukkah celebrations in the capital.
What is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah and the “Festival of Lights”, is an eight-day festival commemorating freedom from oppression.
It’s a historic tradition that has been celebrated since the second century BCE when the Jews fought the Greeks to win back the Jewish Temple and their right to practice Judaism freely. Hanukkah symbolises rededication to the Temple (Hanukkah means “dedication” in Hebrew). It is a long-standing tradition that has been celebrated for over 2,000 years.
When is Hanukkah?
The date of Hanukkah changes yearly as it doesn’t follow the Gregorian calendar. However, it is always in November or December. It begins on the 25th day of Kislev (the ninth month in the Hebrew calendar).
In 2023, it falls between Thursday, 7 December and Friday, 15 December.
Things to do for Hanukkah in London
There are many ways to celebrate Hanukkah, but all involve fun, family and community. Traditional Hanukkah celebrations often involve:
- Lighting menorah (a nine-armed candelabra).
- Playing dreidel (a game played with a four-sided spinning top).
- Eating traditional holiday foods like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jam doughnuts).
- Listening to Hanukkah songs and klezmer (traditional Central and Eastern European Jewish music).
With so much to do, we’ve listed the best places to celebrate the Festival of Lights in London.
Menorah Lighting, Islington Green
Islington Green N1 8DU
A menorah (or Hanukkiah) is a candelabra lit nightly during Hanukkah. Each lamp represents one of the eight branches of human knowledge. The central arm (the shamash) represents the light of God.
Every year, Jewish and non-Jewish communities gather at Islington Green for the second-largest public menorah lighting in the UK.
Witness the lighting of the Chanukiah (the nine-branch menorah), listen to live klezmer and play dreidel – all while enjoying delicious free latkes, doughnuts and hot cocoa.
When? Sunday 10 December.
Chanukah, Trafalgar Square
Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 5DS
Every year, a giant menorah is lit in Trafalgar Square. For each of the eight days of Hanukkah, another arm of the menorah is lit.
Chanukah in the Square is the UK’s biggest annual Chanukah celebration. Members of the Jewish community gather in the Square from all around for live music, dancing and celebration. The event is free to attend; no booking required.
JW3 Celebrates Chanukah, Brent Cross
341-351 Finchley Rd, London NW3 6ET
JW3 (Jewish Community Centre London) is a cultural and educational community centre in North London hosting a range of Hanukkah-related events in December.
On 3 December, Chanukah Funukah is an activity-filled family day with Chanukah Cookie decorating and interactive storytelling. It features Chanukah-themed arts and crafts, candle-lighting and, of course, doughnut-eating!
Chanukah Funukah prices:
Adults: £5
Children: £9
10 December is Chanukah at Brent Cross. It’s free to attend, and there’s no need to book. Just turn up and enjoy an afternoon listening to Chanukah music while playing dreidel games, telling stories and making menorah.
From 10 December to 7 January, JW3 also presents London’s only Jewish pantomime. A twist on the familiar tale, Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Pig is ideal for families celebrating Hanukkah.
Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Pig prices:
Adults: £24/£28
Children: £15/£18
A Baroque Hanukkah, Smith Square
Smith Square, London SW1P 3HA
What better way to celebrate the holidays than with music? Join Vache Baroque at St John’s Smith Square for an evening of song and storytelling. Vache Baroque celebrates Hanukkah and 400 years of Salomone Rossi’s The Songs of Solomon with a performance of Rossi’s ground-breaking Hebrew psalms and hymns.
For more information, visit their website.
Prices: Tickets range from £10 - £30.
When? Wednesday 13 December
Best Restaurants for Hanukkah in London
Dining out is one of the best ways to celebrate Hanukkah. Middle Eastern food is increasingly popular in the UK. But despite a thriving Jewish community with a rich culinary history, traditional Jewish food is still hard to come by in the capital. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find delicious Jewish fare in London; you just need to know where to look!
Fried food is a staple of Hanukkah celebrations as it represents the miracle oil which burned for eight days in the Holy Temple (that’s why it’s an eight-day celebration). This means that traditional Jewish holiday food is delicious! Expect lots of latke, sufganiyot and brisket.
Tongue and Brisket, Goodge Street
23 Goodge Street, London W1 2PL
Tongue and Brisket serve various sandwiches, including the iconic salt beef ‘Reuben’. Enjoy it with a side of latkes, a bowl of chicken soup and lokshen pudding for dessert, and you’ll be in heaven.
Price range: £ - ££
How to get there: Ride the Northern line to Goodge Street from London Waterloo. It’s a 2-minute walk from there.
Rinkoff Bakery, Whitechapel
79 Vallance Road, London E1 5BS
Rinkoff Bakery is a Jewish, family-run bakery in Whitechapel that’s been serving East Londoners for over a century. Tuck into their famous freshly baked plaited challah (an Ashkenazi Jewish bread), made using a 100-year-old traditional Jewish recipe. Other favourites include apple strudel and, less traditional but equally delicious, crodoughs (croissant pastry fried like a doughnut).
Price range: £-££
How to get there: From London Waterloo, walk to Embankment. Ride the District line to Whitechapel and walk 8 minutes to the bakery.
Reubens, Baker Street
79 Baker Street, London W1U 6RG
Reubens Restaurant has served Jewish deli food in the West End since 1973. Reubens is the longest-running kosher restaurant in the UK, and their beloved salt beef sandwiches have made them one of London’s most iconic kosher delis. Other mouthwatering options include lokshen and kneidlach chicken soup (noodles and matza balls), chicken schnitzel and, who could forget, latkes! You can eat in or take away at this bustling deli on Baker Street.
Price range: £-££
How to get there: Take the Jubilee line to Baker Street from London Waterloo. It’s a 7-minute walk from there.
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