The Courage To Care, a Holiday Event for all Ages featuring The Christmas Menorahs: How A Town Fought Hate
The Montclair Public Library will honor student upstanders at The Courage to Care on Sunday, December 21 at 3:00 pm. The program, inspired by Janice Cohn’s book The Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate, celebrates the themes of courage, community, and the importance of being an Upstander citizen. Upstanders take a stand in the face of injustices large and small. Teachers and administrators of the local schools and representatives from local houses of worship were invited to share the stories of the upstander students who are being recognized today for their inspiring actions. Additional resources designed for parents and teachers can be found on the book’s website: https://www.thechristmasmenorahs.com/.
- Date:
- Sunday, December 21, 2025
- Time:
- 3:00pm - 4:30pm
- Location:
- Montclair Main - Children's Floor
- BCCLS Library:
- Montclair Public Library
- Audience:
- Children Family Event
- Categories:
- Children's Programs Author Event/Talk
Upstanders include children and adolescents who have stood up to bullying or hate, offered a helping hand, or spread kindness and compassion in their interactions with others. Being an Upstander comes in many shapes and forms, and we’re excited to see the different ways that the actions of those being recognized today can ripple through the Montclair community. The event will include a reading from the picture book, The Christmas Menorahs: How a Town Fought Hate by Montclair resident Dr. Janice Cohn. It tells the true story of the 1993 holiday season in Billings, Montana when the town courageously came together to take a stand against hate and bigotry, displaying the true meaning of the holidays: loving our neighbors as ourselves.
Certificates honoring the student Upstanders will be presented by longtime and now retired Montclair public school teacher Daniel Gill, whose moving children’s book about allyship, No More Chairs, was published this past September.
- reference@montclairlibrary.org
- 50 S. Fullerton Ave
Montclair, NJ 07402 - 973-744-0500
- https://montclairlibrary.org