All-Ukrainian Campaign “Hanukkah Marathon” 2025
Results of the volunteer campaign “Hanukkah Marathon,” which took place from December 14 to 25 in 22 volunteer centers
This year’s Hanukkah Marathon unfolded in 20 cities across Ukraine, where 22 volunteer centers became true hubs of light and warmth from December 14 to 25. A total of 354 volunteers took part in the preparation and implementation of the events, managing to bring people a sense of celebration, light, warmth, and wonder despite all the challenges of the time. Over the course of a week, they conducted 130 events, 72 of which were for city communities, while the rest included targeted visits, workshops, and cozy gatherings among friends.
The aroma of freshly baked goods became a symbol of this Marathon: volunteers prepared 3,729 hamantaschen, latkes, and cookies. They shared these treats with 646 children and 990 elderly people, adding gifts, sincere words, and the warmth of their hearts. A particularly special moment was the 206 visits to people with limited mobility, where each volunteer visit turned into a small celebration, a reminder that they are remembered and valued.
The celebration was filled not only with treats but also with creativity. Volunteers made beeswax candles, assembled tea sets with herbs gathered during the summer, prepared and decorated donuts that became not just a treat but a symbol of care, and fostered warm intergenerational connections, where children and grandmothers together created felt donuts, played, sang, and crafted.
In many cities, contests of good deeds, workshops, and family creative competitions came to life on social media, gathering hundreds of responses. Despite power outages and cold weather, volunteers did not stop — they baked, prepared food, and embraced elderly people, giving them a sense of celebration and a touch of wonder in everyday life. Thirty-four partners added even more color: musical performances, friendship concerts, fashion evenings, and candle-making workshops — all contributing to an atmosphere of community and unity.
The stories of people were especially moving. One lonely woman from Kyiv, Tetiana Pavlivna, who lives on a small pension and spends most of it on medication, was able this year to light Hanukkah candles together with volunteers and recite the blessing. She admitted that she had long dreamed of having a menorah and finally got this opportunity — it became her holiday miracle. In Mykolaiv, despite the lack of electricity and heat, elderly people gathered with volunteers simply to talk, joke, and feel their strength in unity and tradition. It was a meeting that became a small island of joy and light.
Children and teenagers also showed initiative: they organized events independently, conducted culinary workshops, baked donuts, and participated in quizzes. Their eyes shone with excitement and pride in their knowledge of traditions, and the most touching moment was when they packed some of their creations to give to lonely elderly people.
This year’s Hanukkah Marathon once again proved that volunteering is an important tool for community development, where every candle, every donut, and every visit becomes a small act of kindness that contributes to a greater story of light, joy, unity, and a community that cares for everyone, together and individually.