Hundreds of children in schools, shuls, cheders and even hospitals painted, decorated and – hopefully lit – Kisharon’s wooden chanukiahs in a mammoth social enterprise this Chanukah.

Packed into cellophane bags with fixing glue and paints, the making and painting sets were purchased by the dozen, or with games and sweets added in, the chanukiahs became part of bigger Chanukah gift packs.

Boxes of candles were packed alongside them and added up, Kisharon despatched a quarter of a million candles into the community this Chanukah.

Students from Kisharon’s Further Education College put in hours of hard work to get everything ready.

In all, more than 800 making and painting sets and 900 bigger gift packs went out across the community, to organisations that spanned the entire religious spectrum, modern orthodox, United Synagogue, independent, progressive and liberal. This year, many got involved in Kisharon’s social enterprises for the first time.

Children in hospitals over Chanukah were handed their Kisharon gift with one of their Bedside Kosher meals. These were funded by an anonymous donor.

Aleph at Bushey United Synagogue, Kehillah North London in Stoke Newington, and HaMakom in Harrow were some cheders where children assembled, painted and decorated the chanukiahs as part of their learning about the festival.

Schools where Kisharon delivered chanukiahs included Naima JPS in Maida Vale, Kerem and Sacks Morasha.

This year Kisharon worked with the West Central Liberal Synagogue in Bloomsbury for the first time. It despatched the chanukiahs to children in the community.