Hanukkah in Ocala 2026
A public menorah lighting at Ocala City Square, a Hanukkah concert, congregation parties and where to find each of the eight nights
Hanukkah in Ocala and Marion County
Ocala's Jewish community is served by two congregations inside the city and a Chabad center just over the Marion County line, and all three have posted December programs. The big public moment is the Grand Menorah Lighting at Ocala City Square on Sunday, Dec. 6, listed by Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Center of Ocala and The Villages, which also lists Chanukah at the Mall on Monday, Dec. 7 and a Lox and Latkes celebration in The Villages on Tuesday, Dec. 8.
Inside the congregations, Temple Beth Shalom of Ocala opens the holiday with a Friday-night Hanukkah service and a Saturday menorah lighting, then brings the band Nefesh Mountain to its sanctuary on Dec. 8. Temple B'nai Darom celebrates with a Saturday morning Chanukah service and a Sunday party. Events are grouped below by organizer, with everything taken from the organizer's own pages as of Nov. 10, 2026.
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Hanukkah 2026 dates: the eight nights
Dates and lighting times follow Hebcal's Chanukah 2026 calendar. One candle is added each night.
| Night | Date | Candles |
|---|---|---|
| Night 1 | Fri, Dec. 4 | 1 candle, before sundown (Erev Hanukkah) |
| Night 2 | Sat, Dec. 5 | 2 candles, at nightfall after Shabbat |
| Night 3 | Sun, Dec. 6 | 3 candles, at dusk |
| Night 4 | Mon, Dec. 7 | 4 candles, at dusk |
| Night 5 | Tue, Dec. 8 | 5 candles, at dusk |
| Night 6 | Wed, Dec. 9 | 6 candles, at dusk |
| Night 7 | Thu, Dec. 10 | 7 candles, at dusk |
| Night 8 | Fri, Dec. 11 | 8 candles, before sundown |
Hanukkah events near Ocala, by organizer
Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Center of Ocala and The Villages
The Chabad House is at 13030 CR 103, Oxford, FL 34484 (nearby; Oxford is outside Ocala), phone (352) 330-4466. The center's Chanukah Events 2026 page lists the following, with an RSVP and payment form. The page does not give street addresses for the venues.
- Sun, Dec. 6, 5:30 p.m.: Chanukah Grand Menorah Lighting at Ocala City Square.
- Mon, Dec. 7, 6:30 p.m.: Chanukah at the Mall. The page names no mall and gives no other detail, so confirm the location with the center.
- Tue, Dec. 8, 5:30 p.m.: Lox and Latkes Grand Chanukah Celebration at Everglades Recreation Center in The Villages (nearby, outside Ocala). $18 per person, paid in advance; VIP sponsor seats are $180 for up to two people.
- Date to be determined: a second Grand Menorah Lighting at Ocala Downtown Middleton.
More details are on the center's home page.
Temple Beth Shalom of Ocala
6140 SW 78th Avenue Road, Ocala, FL 34474, across from the entrance to Stone Creek. Friday Shabbat service is at 7 p.m. The temple calendar lists:
- Fri, Dec. 4: candle lighting at 5:12 p.m., then a Hanukkah Service with special Oneg at 6:30 p.m.
- Sat, Dec. 5, 6:30 p.m.: Hanukkah Menorah Lighting, after Havdalah at 6:20 p.m. The temple's event page also lists a menorah lighting on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m.; confirm which dates are open.
- Tue, Dec. 8, 7 to 9 p.m.: Nefesh Mountain Hanukkah Concert. General admission $25, children 12 and under free, college students with ID $18, meet-and-greet $100 including the concert. Register on the temple's event page.
Temple B'nai Darom
7465 SW 38th Street, Ocala, FL 34474, phone (352) 624-0380. The temple's events and services page lists:
- Sat, Dec. 5, 10 a.m.: Chanukah service with Kiddush.
- Sun, Dec. 6: annual congregation meeting at 1 p.m., followed by a Chanukah Party at 2 p.m. The party requires an RSVP; the temple links a flyer, or call (352) 624-0380.
Looking for more December plans? See holiday events in Ocala and the full events calendar. Schedules change, so confirm with the organizer before you go.
Hanukkah in Ocala: frequently asked questions
When is Hanukkah 2026?
Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on Friday, December 4 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, December 12, according to Hebcal. The first candle is lit on the evening of December 4 and the eighth on the evening of December 11.
Where is the public menorah lighting in Ocala in 2026?
Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Center of Ocala and The Villages lists a Chanukah Grand Menorah Lighting at Ocala City Square on Sunday, December 6, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. Its events page also lists a second Grand Menorah Lighting at Ocala Downtown Middleton with the date still to be determined. RSVP through the center's Chanukah events page.
Is there a Hanukkah concert in Ocala in 2026?
Temple Beth Shalom of Ocala presents the Nefesh Mountain Hanukkah Concert on Tuesday, December 8, 2026, from 7 to 9 p.m. at 6140 SW 78th Avenue Road. The temple lists general admission at $25 for adults, free for children 12 and under, $18 for college students with ID, and a $100 meet-and-greet ticket that includes the concert.
Which synagogues are in Ocala?
Temple Beth Shalom of Ocala is at 6140 SW 78th Avenue Road, and Temple B'nai Darom is at 7465 SW 38th Street. Both are in Ocala 34474. Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Center of Ocala and The Villages has its Chabad House at 13030 CR 103 in Oxford, nearby in Sumter County rather than Marion County.
Can anyone attend a Hanukkah event in Ocala?
Each organizer sets its own rules. Some events, such as the Temple B'nai Darom Chanukah Party and the Chabad dinner, require an RSVP, and the Chabad Lox and Latkes celebration requires advance payment. Check the organizer's page or call before going.
What are the candle-lighting rules for the eight nights?
One candle is added each night, with the shamash used to light the others. Hebcal lists the first and eighth nights as lit before sundown because they fall on Fridays, the second night at nightfall because it falls on Shabbat, and the other nights at dusk.
Checked against Hebcal and the organizers' own pages on November 10, 2026. AI tools helped gather the sources and draft this page; each fact was checked against those sources before publishing. See our editorial guidelines.