My eight-year-old niece, a passionate and creative LEGO enthusiast, loves creating LEGO sets that reflect her life and interests. She recently sought a LEGO set that could help her celebrate Hanukkah. To her disappointment, she found none. She took it upon herself to write to the company asking why there were no sets representing Jewish holidays or aspects of Jewish life. The response was disheartening; they had no plans to create such sets but suggested she could create Jewish themed builds herself. 

This is not just about my niece’s desire for representation in her favorite toy brand. It is about the millions of other children who share her heritage and desire to see themselves reflected in their toys. According to Pew Research Ceneter, there are approximately 5.7 million Jews in the United States alone, and an estimated 2.4 million children living in households with at least one Jewish adult (Pew Research Center, 2020). That is 3.2% of all American children. These children deserve the opportunity to see their culture and traditions reflected in popular toys like LEGOs.

We believe that diversity and inclusion should be at the forefront of EVERY business model - especially those creating products for children. History has taught us time and again that representation MATTERS. By creating building sets for Jewish holidays and other aspects of Jewish life, LEGO would be taking a significant steps towards inclusivity and that vital representation.

We urge LEGO not only to consider our request but also to make a concerted plan towards its implementation. Let’s give all children an equal chance at seeing their culture celebrated in their playtime activities! Please sign this petition urging LEGO to create building sets reflecting Jewish holidays and aspects of life. By next Hanukkah, let Jewish themed LEGO sets be on the shelves!