MiltownMoms.com is excited to partner with the Milwaukee Jewish Day School to bring our readers this handy list of 18 Jewish Things to do With Kids Around Milwaukee.
The year is packed with fun Jewish events at the Milwaukee Jewish Day School and throughout the entire community.
Sing and dance at a joyous Shabbat Sing, check out what’s growing at the Jewish Community Garden, get silly at a local Purim Carnival, and more.
All events on this page are open to the entire community, and many are free! We’ve provided a current link so you can easily find updated information throughout the year.
Bookmark this page for future reference!
1. Visit the Jewish Museum Milwaukee.
Learn about Jewish history, immigration, beliefs, and Jewish contributions to Milwaukee and the world at the permanent exhibit in the Jewish Museum Milwaukee (1360 N. Prospect Ave.).
Special Exhibits in 2019 include “Blacklist: The Hollywood Red Scare“ and artist Marc Chagall’s “Le Cirque”, whose colorful and whimsical aesthetic will be particularly engaging for young people.
Pro Tip: Watch out for select Free Community Mondays, advertised on their homepage.
The museum is open Monday – Thursday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. They’re also open until 7:00 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month. They are closed Saturdays.
Admission is $7, and kids 6 and under are free. Active duty military members are also free.
2. Spend time with residents at Ovation Jewish Home & Sarah Chudnow.
A student from the Milwaukee Jewish Day School embraces a resident of Sarah Chudnow. Families can visit on their own to spend time with residents, play games, or make crafts.
Families can volunteer together at the Ovation Jewish Home and the Ovation Sarah Chudnow Mequon location. One-time and ongoing service opportunities are available.
Families with young children can help with bingo on Saturday afternoons or make things for the residents and bring it to them, such as cards, flower pots, and holiday decorations.
To find out more, contact Beth Draper, the volunteer coordinator at BDraper@ovation.org.
3. Meet a Raptor at the Tu Bishvat Community Celebration.
January 27, 2019 | 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Free event
Students from the Milwaukee Jewish Day School explore the nature center at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. The whole community is invited for a Tu Bishvat celebration at the end of January.
Bring the whole family to learn about and celebrate Tu Bishvat, the New Year of the Trees! Enjoy arts and crafts, guided hikes and meet a raptor and other animal ambassadors. Tu Bishvat Seders begin at 3:10 p.m. and 4:10 p.m. Guided hikes depart at 2:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. Find out more here.
4. Braid Challah With Friends.
Feb. 8 | March 8 | April 12, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.
JCC Cafe
Challah & Community is a chance to braid challah, meet new friends, and enjoy stories and songs with area cantors, rabbles, and educators. This program is free and open to the community.
RSVP to Rabbi Shari Shamah
sshamah@jccmilwaukee.org | 414-967-8229
5. Spend time together at JCC Family Fun Night.
Saturday, February 9th, 2019
5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Join in for a night of fun, including a scavenger hunt and swimming. Open to the community! Find out more on the JCC website.
6. Get Silly at the Purim Carnival.
March 21, 2019 | 2 – 3 p.m.
Free event
Celebrate Purim, MJDS-style! Wear your favorite costume and join MJDS for its Purim Carnival, with games and activities led by their creative sixth grade students. RSVP to hello@mjds.org to attend.
7. Sing and Dance at Shabbat Sing.
March 22, April 12 and May 31, 2019
8:10 – 8:45 a.m.
Free event
Start your Shabbat with a joyous and warm singalong. The Milwaukee Jewish Day School invites you to join students and staff for their weekly Shabbat Sing. Sing along and dance to traditional Jewish music featuring live instruments, and enjoy a kid-friendly story with the Rabbi. RSVP to hello@mjds.org to attend.
8. Attend the Father Daughter Dance.
Saturday, March 2nd, 2019 at the Jewish Community Center
7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Enjoy dancing, desert, and special activities for girls ages 7-12 and their dads, grandfathers, or special friends. Find out more on the JCC website.
$40/family (Member Value $36/family)
RSVPs are required – RSVP to Rabbi Shari Shamah sshamah@jccmilwaukee.org | 414-967-8229
9. Plant vegetables at the Jewish Community Garden.
“It is forbidden to live in a city that does not have a vegetable garden.” (Talmud Yerushalmi, Kiddushin 66d)
The Jewish Community Garden at the Jewish Community Center has a mission to provide fresh, nutritious food to those most in need, to teach people how to garden, and to promote Jewish values and learning. Produce from the garden goes to the Jewish Community Pantry, which serves over 10,000 households each year.
The garden is open to the community and you can visit the garden at any time, or volunteer to help harvest and maintain the garden. To learn more, emmail Sarah Siegel at SSiegel@jccmilwaukee.org.
10. Get your Passover Seder on.
April 19-20, 2019
The Milwaukee Jewish Federation keeps a list of several community seders you can take part in. See it here.
11. Walk For Israel.
Late April, 2019
Wisconsin will celebrate Israel’s 71st birthday this year with a two-mile Walk for Israel, plus activities for kids and other fun features. Past activities have including gaga ball, camel riding, face painting, balloons, and a live music & magic show.
The Walk for Israel attracts several hundred people annually, serving as the largest celebration of Israel in the state.
Check back on this page for details about this year’s Walk for Israel.
12. Join the JCC Girl Scout Troop.
Sign your girl up for JCC’s Girl Scout troop, part of the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast Council. It’s Milwaukee’s only Girl Scout troop with a Jewish component. Scouts will make new friends and go on new adventures. It’s open to girls in grades K-12. Contact Darlene Nash at 414-443-3917 or dnash@gswise.org.
13. Do Summer Camp, Jewish-Style.
For an immersive Jewish experience in the summer, check out Camp Interlaken (in Eagle River, WI) and OSRUI (in Oconomowoc, WI). Both camps offer a unique, overnight camp experience with an emphasis on Jewish values.
14. Watch a film at the Jewish Film Festival.
For over 20 years, the Milwaukee Jewish Federation has been partnering with local businesses and organizations to put on the Milwaukee Jewish Film Festival, which celebrates Jewish films and filmmaking from around the world.
Bookmark this page, and check back in October 2019 for movie dates and times.
15. Read with PJ Library.
Join the PJ Library and receive a free Jewish book each month (and sometimes a craft or music CD, too!). There’s also a monthly story time, and fun events like Lego Menorah making.
For more information or to become a PJ Library family contact Rabbi Shari Shamah, Jewish Family Specialist and PJ Library Coordinator at 414-967-8229. Also, click here to “Like” PJ Library Milwaukee on Facebook and click here to learn more about the National PJ Library Program.
16. Be a foodie at Congregation Shalom’s annual Food Truck Shabbat.
Enjoy food truck faire, a bounce house, live music, and more at Congregation Shalom’s annual Food Truck Shabbat. It’s usually held at the end of August or beginning of September in Klode Park. The event is free and open to the community. Keep an eye on Congregations Shalom’s Facebook page as the date gets closer for more information.
17. Eat latkes at JCC’s Community Wide Hanukkah Celebration.
Students from the Milwaukee Jewish Day School enjoy the Community Hanukkah celebration held annually at the Jewish Community Center.
The Jewish Community Center holds a community-wide, free Hanukkah celebration every year, complete with games, activities, traditional holiday foods, and mitzvah projects. Keep an eye on the Jewish Community Center Facebook Page for more information as the date gets closer.
18. Light a Giant Menorah.
Keep an eye on the Bayshore Town Center Facebook Page to learn about their annual Menorah Lighting in the Rotunda. There is also a Menorah Lighting and music on Silver Spring Drive in Whitefish Bay. Head to the merchantsofwhitefishbay.com Events Page for more information.
This guide was brought to you by the Milwaukee Jewish Day School.
Come see the magic of MJDS for yourself! Schedule a tour and visit us at mjds.org/visit.
Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.
Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.
