The nationally-known a cappella group, The Maccabeats!, will perform all of their greatest hits at this event.
This year, Hanukkah will begin on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 24 and end in the evening of Sunday, Jan. 1. To help the community celebrate, the Moorestown Jewish Association will host its fifth annual concert and celebration at the Moorestown Community House located at 16 E. Main St. on Thursday, Dec. 15 beginning at 7 p.m.
Helping to kick off the holiday season for the Jewish community, the nationally-known a cappella group, The Maccabeats!, will perform all of their greatest hits for the first time. The Maccabeats are known for their a capella Hanukkah parodies of popular songs such as “Candlelight,” “Miracle” and “Burn.” Additionally, the night will conclude with a pre-Hanukkah menorah lighting on the Community House’s lawn.
“The Moorestown Community House has long been a beloved gathering place in the heart of our community. What better place to bring together our Jewish community?” said Marla Deibler, a co-president of MJA’s Board of Directors. “MJA’s Hanukkah celebrations have always been held at the MCH, with the exception of 2015, which was unexpectedly relocated due to the fire.”
The first annual celebration, held in 2012, drew more than 150 people to celebrate the holiday. This year, MJA expects a sold out show of more than 200 attendees, and the event is being organized and run by the MJA Board of Directors as well as the volunteer MJA teen group and the Teen Group’s advisor, Caryn Shaw.
Additionally, the Hanukkah concert and celebration will be accompanied by dancing, food and refreshments, since no Hanukkah party is complete without potato latkes and sufganiyot (doughnuts), chocolate gelt, dreidel games and Hanukkah surprises. Guests can expect to have an amazing time with fun, lively music and by sharing in the joy of coming together as a Jewish community in the heart of town.
Tickets for the event are $18 for MJA members, $21 for nonmembers, and there are limited $30 VIP tickets available for purchase that will guarantee a seat in the first three rows. To purchase tickets, click here. Proceeds from the Hanukkah Concert and Celebration will be used to fund Jewish education in Moorestown and future MJA events, including social gatherings and community service projects.
“Member of all ages are welcome. The Moorestown Jewish Association is a welcoming, inclusive, community-focused organization open to all Jewish residents, affiliated and unaffiliated,” Deibler said. “An estimated 2 percent of the Moorestown population identifies as Jewish — approximately 400 individuals; however, this may be an underestimate.”
MJA has more than 500 families who subscribe to its monthly e-newsletter and hosts a number of other events throughout the year. These events include pop-up Shabbats, the Purim Masquerade Ball, educational activities and fun social gatherings for friends and neighbors of all ages.
“We are delighted to usher in a ‘new’ reinvigorated Moorestown Jewish Association this year, in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey,” Deibler said. “In doing so, we aim to organize an exciting schedule of events and activities to engage the MJA community and the greater Moorestown community.”
For more information on the organization, visit its website at https://moorestownjewishassociation.org. Residents can also follow the MJA on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
