During the event, the young olim tasted their very first Israeli sufganiya (jelly donut), played for the first time with "Made in Israel" dreidels that display the words "a great miracle happened here" (rather than "a great miracle happened there," as it says outside Israel), and enjoyed endless chocolate gelt (coins).
These olim arrived in Israel with the help of Nefesh B’Nefesh, the Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption, the Jewish Agency for Israel and Keren Kayemet L'Israel.
"Hanukkah is a family holiday that spreads its light to Jewish communities around the world," said Nefesh B’Nefesh Vice Chairman Erez Halfon.
"With that said, it is a great joy to celebrate with these new young immigrants as they experience their first Hanukkah in Israel, here and not there, as the dreidel says, and to see their impressive and smooth integration into Israeli society."