Chabad Houses to Honor “Hometown Maccabees”

“Hometown Maccabee”, a campaign to honor local healthcare workers, originated with a couple teens, a rabbi, and a viral idea in Kansas City, and is now spreading to Chabad House across the USA.

Chabad on Call is making it simple and exciting for anyone to thank our healthcare workers this season. 

In honor of Chanukah, Chabad has announced an 8-day campaign to encourage thanking our medical professionals. “Hometown Maccabees” is an initiative taking place in cities across America, with events, resources, gifts, nightly nominations, and Menorah lightings taking place in honor of our healthcare heroes.

Just like the Maccabees in the time of the Holy Temple, who fought valiantly on the front lines to keep the flames of Judaism alive, so too our healthcare workers fight tirelessly every day to make our community a safer, healthier, and brighter place. Now more than ever, they are our heroes. They are our Hometown Maccabees!

“Hometown Maccabee” originated with a couple teens, a rabbi, and a viral idea in Kansas City. Rabbi Avremi Baron, the Chabad CTeen Shliach in Leawood, KS wanted an exciting way to engage the teens of his community with their healthcare heroes. “We hosted a Chabad Teen Chanukah cookie baking event, and the teens had a great time decorating the baked goods, creating a thank-you for our local doctors and nurses,” Rabbi Baron explained. “Next we’ll be packaging and handing out the cookies, giving our teens the opportunity to meet with our heroes face-to-face. We’ve been missing the human connection in many of our interactions since the pandemic began, and being able to hear stories and share our thanks with the medical staff will be a special opportunity.”

“We felt this is something with incredible potential,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Director of Merkos Suite 302. “So we decided  to make ‘Hometown Maccabees’ available for people of all ages and locations. Our healthcare heroes deserve it! And it’s a beautiful way to get the whole community involved in the Mitzvos of Chanukah.” 

To have your community join the Hometown Maccabee campaign, visit chabadoncall.com/maccabees for a bundle of customizable resources. Share your own visits, ideas, or thanks with #maccabees and #ChabadOnCall!