Six Ways to Celebrate Hanukkah in Metro Phoenix

By Dominique Chatterjee Mon., Dec. 3 2012 at 6:30 AM

Categories: Seasonal

Continued from page 1

PetitAppetit.com

Yes, these tasty latkes are from Trader Joe's!

Trader Joe's Latkes

Let's face it: latkes can be a bitch to make. Skip the mess of grating potatoes and attempting to bind them together by hand; instead, pick up frozen potato pancakes from Trader Joe's ($1.99/box). These might seem like nothing but a modern-day convenience, but they're made for the grocery chain using only natural ingredients and an old Eastern European recipe. Even if you aren't planning anything for Hanukkah, toss a box in your basket to enjoy with sour cream or applesauce. We swear by these, so pick up your stash now before we clear out every store in town.

Mazelpalooza at The Mint

How about a lot of Jews, booze, and schmooze this holiday season? Young Jewish Phoenix presents Mazelpalooza at The Mint in Old Town Scottsdale. This event takes place after the eight days of the Festival of Lights, so you don't have to worry about waking up the next morning with a guilt-ridden hangover. While all of your non-Jewish friends are celebrating Christmas Eve, you can get your davidic dance on at the club with hundreds of like-minded people -- and no, there won't be any singing of Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel. Tickets are currently $25; after December 20, the price jumps $30.

MERKAZ marketplace

On Sunday, December 9, enjoy the first afternoon of Hanukkah at MERKAZ marketplace, a craft and food fair organized by the Congregation Merkaz Ha-Iyr. The market will be open from noon to 4 p.m. at the southeast corner of Central and Northern Avenues, which is home to the Central Farmers' Market every Saturday. MERKAZ marketplace will have Hanukkah games, holiday gift items for sale (like chocolate gelt), prizes, and a raffle. There will also be food trucks and local vendors there serving a variety of cuisine.

Follow Chow Bella on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.