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Hanukkah fair at Jewish Discovery Center runs through Friday; Menorah lighting Dec. 20 at Deerfield Towne Center

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By Eric Robinette, Staff Writer 5:45 PM Tuesday, December 6, 2011

MASON — While the Christmas juggernaut rolls on, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah tends to get lost amid all the tinsel and holly.

That’s partly why the “Jewish Book and Chanukah Fair” at the Jewish Discovery Center in Mason has sold most of its inventory, with only about one-fourth of it left, said Rabbi Yosef Kalmanson, who works at the center.

The fair had merchandise spread across two or three tables, this week, and it wasn’t your standard collection of menorahs, dreidels and gelt. Many of the items has a modern spin. For instance, there was an “LED Draydel” that touted itself as “cool to the touch.”

“We really like to be with the times and have relevant and trendy gifts,” Kalmanson said.

Besides, with the Christmas items flooding the market, Jewish items, trendy or traditional, tend to be hard to be find.

“Most of these items are not available anywhere,” Kalmanson said.

Many of the items and books are kid-friendly, such as the dreidel key chains or the children’s book entitled “Way Too Much Challah Bread.” Challah is a braided bread eaten on holidays. There is also a selection of “Kosher DVDs” that Kalmanson likened to “Sesame Street.” The fair runs from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through Friday at the center at 7857 Central Parke Blvd. in Mason.

All this serves as a prelude to what will be a first for Warren County: a public observation of the start of Hanukkah. That will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 20, with a giant Menorah Lighting at Deerfield Towne Center. Hanukkah begins on sunset that day, continuing through sunset on Dec. 28.

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2836 or eric.robinette@coxinc.com.