Amanda Peet and More Set for The Jewish Museum's HANUKKAH FAMILY DAY, 12/6

The Jewish Museum will present its annual Hanukkah Family Day, a fun-filled day of activities, on Sunday, December 6 from Noon to 4 pm.

A special highlight of the day will be a book signing with actress Amanda Peet and co-author Andrea Toyer, who will read from their new Hanukkah-themed children's book, Dear Santa, Love, Rachel Rosenstein. In addition, kids can construct sculptural Hanukkah menorahs with funky found objects, dance to the music of ShirLaLa, see the Hanukkah story brought to life through a drawing performance with Jeff Hopkins, and explore the Museum's world-famous collection of Hanukkah lamps.

This event is free with Museum admission, and for children age 3 and up. Adults are asked to accompany their children. For further information regarding family programs at The Jewish Museum, the public may visit thejewishmuseum.org/programs/families or call 212.423.3337. The Jewish Museum is located at Fifth Avenue and 92nd Street, Manhattan.

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HANUKKAH FAMILY DAY EVENTS - SUNDAY, DEC. 6:

1:15pm
READING AND BOOK SIGNING - AMANDA PEET AND ANDREA TOYER
DEAR SANTA, LOVE RACHEL ROSENSTEIN
Actress and playwright Amanda Peet makes her picture book debut with Dear Santa, Love Rachel Rosenstein (Doubleday Books for Young Readers / Ages 3-7, illustrated by Christine Davenier), co-written with her longtime friend, Andrea Troyer. A warm and side-splittingly funny slice of family holiday drama, Dear Santa, Love, Rachel Rosenstein tells the story of a young Jewish girl who wonders why Santa Claus doesn't visit her house. Wrestling with her culture and customs and love of sparkly Christmas ornaments, Rachel comes away with a brighter understanding of her own identity and of the gift of friends and family.

Amanda Peet is an actress and playwright. She has appeared in numerous films, including Please Give, Syriana, Igby Goes Down, and The Whole Nine Yards. Her TV credits include Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and Togetherness. Her play The Commons of Pensacola starred Blythe Danner and Sarah Jessica Parker. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three daughters. Andrea Troyer grew up in Minnesota and received an MFA from the University of California, Irvine. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two young boys.

Noon - 4pm
HUGE DROP-IN ART WORKSHOP

Families can choose from four projects:

Found Object Menorah Characters - Attendees can design whimsical Hanukkah menorah sculptures with found objects such as wood shapes, spools, and metallic forms inspired by the striking art and sculpture on view in the exhibition, Unorthodox, as well as by Hanukkah lamps in the Museum's permanent exhibition, Culture and Continuity: The Jewish Journey. Children can form their sculptures into robot, animals, or character from their imagination.
Painted Fabric Design for Hanukkah - Children can paint a colorful fabric background with symbolic Hanukkah imagery inspired by the imaginative textiles found in Unorthodox.
Collaborative Light Collage - Drawing inspiration from contemporary art and a the theme of Hanukkah lights, families will be able to collaborate on a large abstract light collage using colored acetate and other translucent materials that will glow like stained glass.
Dreidel Decorating - Kids can decorate wooden dreidels with vibrant patterns and colors.

12:15pm
DRAWING PERFORMANCE: HANUKKAH STORIES COMING TO LIFE
Kids will see a playful tale unfold in this eye-catching performance using live drawing, animation, and narration with sound and movement. On wall-sized paper Jeff Hopkins brings characters and action to life in this one-of-a-kind happening created for Hanukkah Family Day.

Jeff Hopkins is a storyteller, illustrator, and educator. He performs his drawing/storytelling shows for students and families at schools and museums all over the country. For the past 15 years, Jeff has worked as a teaching artist for arts organizations such as the Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, Guggenheim Museum and the American Ballet Theater. In addition he has received honors for his illustrated children's books.

2:30 pm
PERFORMANCE: SHIRLALA
Kid rocker Shira Kline will perform a musical re-enactment of the Hanukkah story, full of heroes, drama, excitement, and miracles inspired by the power of light. Hear tunes from her holiday album such as "Chanukah Bamba," "This Little Light of Mine," and more.

Shira Kline, aka ShirLaLa, is an award-winning New York based performer and Jewish music educator. The Jewish Week selected Shira as one of 2011's "36 Under 36, The New Re-Engineers" of Jewish life. ShirLaLa and her kiddie-rock band have performed in hundreds of venues throughout the United States as well as stages in England, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. Her three Jewish kiddie?rock albums are a favorite with libraries, families, classrooms and synagogues. Shira serves on the faculty of the Hava NaShira Music Institute and is also a founding company member of Storahtelling: Ritual Theatre Revived where she performs as a maven, ritual leader, actor, writer, director and musician.

1:30 pm and 3:00 pm
SPOTLIGHT TOURS
An educator will conduct a brief gallery tour with a sketching opportunity that will spotlight Hanukkah lamps from around the world from The Jewish Museum's renowned collection.

All day
SELF-GUIDED FAMILY EXHIBITION TOURS
Specialized printed family gallery guides for the temporary exhibitions on view and to Hanukkah lamps on view in the Museum's permanent exhibition, Culture and Continuity: The Jewish Journey, will be available.

The Edgar M. Bronfman Center for Education's school and family programs are supported by endowed funds established by the Bronfman Family, the Muriel and William Rand Fund, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the Helena Rubinstein Foundation, Rosalie Klein Adolf, the Kekst Family, and Mrs. Ida C. Schwartz in memory of Mr. Bernard S. Schwartz. Family programming is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council and Councilmember Daniel R. Garodnick.

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Located on Museum Mile at Fifth Avenue and 92nd Street, the Jewish Museum is one of the world's preeminent institutions devoted to exploring art and Jewish culture from ancient to contemporary, offering intellectually engaging, educational, and provocative exhibitions and programs for people of all ages and backgrounds. The Museum was established in 1904, when Judge Mayer Sulzberger donated 26 ceremonial objects to The Jewish Theological Seminary as the core of a museum collection. Today, the Museum maintains a collection of over 30,000 works of art, artifacts, and broadcast media reflecting global Jewish identity, and presents a diverse schedule of internationally acclaimed temporary exhibitions.

The Jewish Museum is located at 1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street, New York City. Museum hours are Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, 11am to 5:45pm; Thursday, 11am to 8pm; and Friday, 11am to 4pm. Museum admission is $15.00 for adults, $12.00 for senior citizens, $7.50 for students, free for visitors 18 and under and Jewish Museum members. Admission is Pay What You Wish on Thursdays from 5pm to 8pm and free on Saturdays. For information on the Jewish Museum, the public may call 212.423.3200 or visit the website at TheJewishMuseum.org.