Bringing Light to Hospital Halls: How Chesed 24/7 Celebrated Chanukah 2025

Chanukah is the festival of lights - a time of miracles, joy, and togetherness. But for families spending the holiday in a hospital, the glow of the menorah can feel impossibly distant. This year, Chesed 24/7 made sure no patient or family missed the warmth of Chanukah. Through hospital chanukah celebrations at Columbia, Cornell, and hospitals across the region, the organization delivered menorahs, donuts, toys, and most importantly - the spirit of the season.

Chanukah 2025 By the Numbers

This year's jewish hospital holiday support effort was Chesed 24/7's biggest Chanukah yet:

94 Dozen Donuts

That is over 1,100 chanukah donuts delivered to patients, families, and hospital staff across the region.

Hundreds of Toys

Collected through a hospital toy drive and distributed at 5 hospitals to bring smiles to children spending Chanukah away from home.

Menorahs in Every Chesed Room 

Hospital-safe menorahs and candles were made available in chesed rooms.

Menorahs at Chesed Apartments

Oil menorahs were set up in Chesed Apartments, allowing families staying there to light even while away from home.

Chanukah Parties at Columbia and Cornell

At Columbia Presbyterian and NY Cornell - two of the busiest hospitals in Chesed 24/7's network - the organization hosted special chanukah party hospital events that brought patients and families together for celebration.

Signs posted in the Chesed Rooms announced the events in advance: "Chanukah Event in Chesed Room - Toys, Food, and Donuts!" At the scheduled time, families gathered to celebrate.

What Happened at the Parties

• Menorah lighting with hospital-safe electric menorahs
• Fresh donuts (sufganiyot) for everyone
• Toy giveaways for children of all ages
• Chanukah treats and festive snacks
• Music and singing to fill the room with Chanukah spirit
• Warm community - families connecting with others going through similar experiences

For children stuck in the hospital, these parties were a highlight. For parents exhausted from bedside vigils, they were a moment of normalcy. And for everyone, they were a reminder that even in difficult times, the lights of Chanukah shine.

Donuts Delivered Directly to Patient Rooms

Not everyone could make it to the Chesed Room parties. Some patients were too sick to leave their beds. Some families could not step away. So Chesed 24/7 brought Chanukah to them.

Working with hospital liaisons who provided patient names and room numbers, staff went door to door delivering chanukah donuts directly to around 20 hospital rooms. Each delivery came with a warm smile and Chanukah wishes.

The response was overwhelming. Patients who had been isolated in their rooms lit up at the unexpected visit. Families expressed gratitude that someone remembered them during the holiday. Even hospital staff - nurses, aides, and doctors - received donuts with notes of appreciation for their tireless work.

"Everyone was so excited. You could see it on their faces - a simple donut became something special because someone cared enough to bring it."

Toys Distributed at Five Hospitals

In the weeks before Chanukah, Chesed 24/7 organized a hospital toy drive to collect gifts for children spending the holiday in medical care. The community responded generously, donating hundreds of toys, games, and gifts.

During Chanukah, these toys were distributed at five hospitals across the region. Children in pediatric units, siblings visiting sick family members, and young patients facing long treatments all received Chanukah presents - a bright spot during a difficult time.

The toy distribution was part of Chesed 24/7's broader jewish hospital holiday support mission: ensuring that Jewish families in medical crisis can still experience the joy of Yom Tov, no matter where they are.

Menorahs in Chesed Rooms and Apartments

A hospital chanukah celebration is not complete without a menorah. But hospital safety regulations make traditional candles impossible in most settings. Chesed 24/7 solved this by stocking Chesed Rooms with hospital-safe electric menorahs and battery-operated candles.

In Chesed Rooms

Every Chesed Room across the 27-hospital network had a menorah hospital display available for families to use. Patients and visitors could gather in the Chesed Room each night to light, say brachos, and sing Chanukah songs together.

In Chesed Apartments

For families staying in Chesed Apartments near hospitals, real menorahs with actual candles/oil were provided. These families could light just as they would at home - a powerful experience when home feels so far away.

Van loaded up with LED hospital-safe menorahs for delivery to hospitals

Piles of games and toys donated through toy drives for distribution to hospitalized children

Thanking the Hospital Staff

Chanukah is about gratitude - for miracles, for light, for those who help us through dark times. Chesed 24/7 made sure to include hospital staff in the celebration.

Donuts were hand-delivered to nurses' stations, staff break rooms, and individual caregivers - each accompanied by a note of appreciation. These small gestures acknowledged the doctors, nurses, and aides who work around the clock to care for patients, often missing their own holiday celebrations at home.

The reaction from the staff was heartwarming. Many expressed surprise that someone thought of them. Others said the treats lifted their spirits during demanding shifts. The simple act of sharing chanukah donuts built goodwill and strengthened the relationship between Chesed 24/7 and the hospitals it serves.

Why Chanukah in the Hospital Matters

For observant Jewish families, Yom Tov is central to life. The rituals, the foods, the songs - these are not optional extras. They are how we mark time, connect to tradition, and find meaning. Missing Chanukah because of a medical crisis can feel like losing a piece of yourself.

Chesed 24/7's hospital chanukah celebration efforts restore what illness threatens to take away. A child lights a menorah in a hospital room and remembers that miracles happen. A mother eats a sufganiyah and feels, for just a moment, like she is home. A father watches his family gather for a party in the Chesed Room and knows they are not facing this alone.

Every patient. Every need. Every day. Including every Yom Tov - including Chanukah.

How You Can Help Next Chanukah

Want to bring light to hospital halls next year? Here is how you can support Chesed 24/7's jewish hospital holiday support programs:

Donate to the Toy Drive

Each year, Chesed 24/7 collects toys for children in hospitals. New, unwrapped toys can be dropped off before Chanukah at the Chesed 24/7 warehouse.

Sponsor Donuts and Treats

Cover the cost of chanukah donuts for a hospital. Sponsorships can be made in honor of a refuah sheleimah or in memory of a loved one.

Volunteer to Deliver

Join the team that delivers donuts and toys to hospitals during Chanukah. It takes just a few hours and makes an enormous impact.

Make a General Donation

All donations to Chesed 24/7 support holiday programs year-round - Chanukah, Purim, Pesach, and more. Visit chesed247.org/donate

Support hospital holiday programs at chesed247.org/donate.

Looking Ahead

Chanukah 2025 brought light to hundreds of patients and families across the region. But the work does not stop. In the coming months, Chesed 24/7 will prepare for Purim mishloach manos deliveries, Pesach seders and meal packages, and all the daily needs that families in medical crisis face year-round.

The Chesed Rooms remain open every day. Hospital meals continue to arrive at bedsides. The shuttle runs its routes. And whenever the next Yom Tov arrives, Chesed 24/7 will be there - making sure no one celebrates alone.

Thank you to everyone who made Chanukah 2025 possible - donors, volunteers, hospital staff, and community partners. Together, we brought the light.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Chesed 24/7 provide Chanukah celebrations in hospitals?

Yes. Each year, Chesed 24/7 organizes hospital Chanukah celebrations including menorah lightings, donut deliveries, toy giveaways, and festive parties in Chesed Rooms. In 2025, the organization distributed close to 100 dozen donuts and hundreds of toys across hospitals in the NY/NJ area.

Can I light a menorah in the hospital?

Traditional candles are not permitted in most hospital settings due to safety regulations. However, Chesed 24/7 provides hospital-safe electric menorahs and battery-operated candles in Chesed Rooms so families can still observe the mitzvah of menorah lighting.

How can I get Chanukah supplies at the hospital?

Visit the Chesed Room at your hospital during Chanukah. Menorahs, candles, donuts, and other Chanukah items are available. If you are staying at a Chesed Apartment, real menorahs with actual candles are provided.

How can I donate toys for hospitalized children?

Chesed 24/7 runs a hospital toy drive before Chanukah each year. New, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the Chesed 24/7 warehouse. Contact 845-354-3233 for drop-off locations and deadlines.

Does Chesed 24/7 celebrate other Jewish holidays in hospitals?

Yes. Chesed 24/7 provides holiday support year-round, including Rosh Hashanah meals, Sukkos accommodations, Purim mishloach manos, Pesach seders and kosher-for-Pesach meals, and Shavuos celebrations. Contact 845-354-3233 before any Yom Tov to arrange support.

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