Multicultural Fall Family Fest 2026

Come celebrate the beautiful diversity of Jewish life around the world!

Join us for our FOURTH annual Multicultural Fall Family Fest—a fun-filled morning of music, art, stories, food, and hands-on experiences celebrating the many cultures, customs, and traditions that make up our global Jewish community!

Kick off the morning with live Sephardic music, then jump into hands-on fun! Try drumming and percussion, get henna art, make suncatchers, explore pickling, create your own photo frame, and take part in a special community service project—all alongside incredible community partners.

Special festival highlight! Don't miss award-winning author Ruth Behar reading her new picture book, A Snowy Hanukkah for Luz, plus a special book giveaway! And stop by our PJ Library Book Swap to discover diverse Jewish stories to bring home.

All families across Brooklyn and beyond are welcome! Whether you're a Senesh family or joining us for the first time, invite your friends, bring your neighbors, and come celebrate Jewish joy and community together!

🥁 Make Music Together! Live Sephardic Music & More

Kick off the festival with live Sephardic music at 10:00 AM! Musicians from Encore Outreach at the Sephardic Community Center will welcome families with a special 30-minute performance featuring Sephardic music and the beautiful sounds of the oud, a traditional Middle Eastern string instrument.

Then, stick around and join the musicians for some hands-on music-making! Kids and grownups can try drumming, explore percussion instruments, and experience the joy of making music together.

🎨 Hands-On Fun for the Whole Family

There's so much to explore! Get henna art, make colorful suncatchers, try your hand at pickling, create your own photo frame, and discover traditions and experiences from Jewish communities around the world.

Plus, take part in a special community service project, packing dried food kits to support neighbors in need!

Activities are especially geared toward preschool and elementary-aged children, but all ages are welcome to join the fun!

📚 PJ Library Book Swap — Bring a Book, Find a New Favorite!

Have PJ Library books your family has outgrown? Bring them to swap for new-to-you stories! We'll also have a wonderful selection of books featuring diverse Jewish characters, cultures, and traditions for families to explore and bring home.

Discover a new favorite and keep the stories going long after the festival!

🧸 A JPlay! Room for Our Littlest Festival-Goers

Bringing toddlers or little ones who might need a break from the excitement? Step into our dedicated JPlay! Room - a separate, welcoming space inspired by our Sunday JPlay! sessions, with books, blocks, and open play for our youngest visitors.

❤️ Share the Love: Community Food Drive

Help us spread the spirit of community and caring! We're collecting food donations for students at Brooklyn International High School, a public school serving newly immigrated students, many of whom face food and housing insecurity.

Please bring: Shelf-stable milk, cereal, instant ramen, nuts, crackers, mac and cheese, pasta, cooking oils, tomato sauce, peanut butter, jelly, instant oatmeal, and other nonperishable foods.

Please note: No canned goods or expired items, as many students live in shelters or transitional housing where cans are not permitted.

Drop off your donations in the collection bins at the festival entrance! All donations will go directly to Brooklyn International High School students.

We're especially proud to partner with Senesh's own Parent Association Diversity & Belonging Committee to bring this special celebration to the entire community. Together, we're creating opportunities to share traditions, celebrate the many identities and experiences within Jewish life, and build meaningful connections across our community.

Our Community Partners

We're thrilled to bring this celebration to life with the support and contributions of an incredible group of community organizations that help us showcase the rich diversity of Jewish life!

Our community partners include:

Ammud Jews of Color Torah Academy, American Sephardi Federation, Congregation Beth Elohim, Encore Music, JCC Brooklyn, Jewtina y Co, JIMENA, PJ Library, Repair the World, Sephardic Community Center, and Sephardi Mizrahi Q Network.

• When: Sunday, November 15 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM

• Where: The Senesh School, Brooklyn (directly above the Carroll Street F/G subway station)

• Cost: $10 per child ages 1+ when you register in advance (through 9 AM on Sunday, November 15)! Walk-in admission is $15 per child at the door, with discounts for additional children. Infants under 1 and adults attend free.

Please RSVP in Advance!

We know plans with children can change, but registering in advance helps us prepare enough food and materials - and allows our security team to use the registration list to welcome families into the building smoothly.

Advance registration closes at 9:00 AM, one hour before the festival begins.

Walk-ins are welcome beginning at 10:00 AM, as space allows. Families who are not on the advance registration list will complete an additional security check and on-site registration before entering.

We'd love for every family to join us! We're committed to making our community programs welcoming and accessible to all. If cost is a concern, please email kulam@hannahsenesh.org - we're happy to work with you to make participation possible.