Montreal is home to one of Canada’s largest and oldest Jewish communities, and Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated across the city. Here’s how to celebrate Hanukkah in Montreal in 2026.
Hanukkah 2026 dates
Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday, December 4, 2026, and lasts eight nights, ending on Saturday, December 12. Each evening, one more candle is lit on the menorah (hanukkiah).
Public menorah lightings
Every year, community organizations and Chabad centres across Greater Montreal hold public menorah lightings, often with music, hot drinks and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts) for the crowd. The Town of Hampstead and the Montreal Torah Center, for example, hold an annual menorah lighting ceremony. Check with your local Chabad centre, synagogue or municipality for 2026 times and locations.
Where to find latkes and sufganiyot
Kosher bakeries and delis in Côte-Saint-Luc, Hampstead, Outremont and Côte-des-Neiges fill their counters with sufganiyot in the weeks around Hanukkah. Montreal’s famous bagel bakeries in Mile End are open year-round. The Plateau and Mile End
Learn about Jewish Montreal
- Museum of Jewish Montreal: exhibitions and walking tours about the community’s history in the city.
- Aron Museum: a collection of Jewish ceremonial objects. A menorah from its collection was featured on a Canada Post Hanukkah stamp.
Festival-of-lights outings
Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights, and Montreal glows in December. Families often combine an evening of candle lighting with a walk through the LUMINO light installations or the Christmas lights downtown.
Tips
- Shabbat timing: in 2026, Hanukkah starts on a Friday evening, so the first candles are lit before Shabbat candles.
- Book ahead: community events with food often ask you to register in advance.
See also: things to do in Montreal in December
