๐ Hanukkah ืึฒื ึปืึธึผื
late November or December Ages 4โ11
Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, lasts eight nights. Families light the menorah, play dreidel and eat foods fried in oil.
๐ฌ Say: Chag Hanukkah Sameach! โ Happy Hanukkah!
๐ When is Hanukkah?
| 2026 | Begins at sundown on Fri, Dec 4, 2026 ยท ends at nightfall on Sat, Dec 12, 2026 |
|---|---|
| 2027 | Begins at sundown on Fri, Dec 24, 2027 ยท ends at nightfall on Sat, Jan 1, 2028 |
| 2028 | Begins at sundown on Tue, Dec 12, 2028 ยท ends at nightfall on Wed, Dec 20, 2028 |
Jewish days begin at sundown. Dates follow the calendar used outside Israel; some holidays are a day shorter in Israel.
๐ The story
More than 2,000 years ago, the Greek-Syrian king Antiochus ruled the Land of Israel. He told the Jewish people they could no longer study Torah or keep Shabbat, and he filled the Holy Temple in Jerusalem with idols.
A small group led by Judah Maccabee and his brothers โ the Maccabees โ fought back against the huge army, and won. They cleaned the Temple and wanted to light the menorah again, but found only one small jar of pure oil, enough for one day. Miraculously, it burned for eight days, until new oil was ready.
That is why Hanukkah lasts eight nights. Each night we light one more candle on the hanukkiah (Hanukkah menorah), using a helper candle called the shamash. Many families put the menorah in a window to share the light with everyone outside.
โจ How we celebrate
- Lighting the menorah โ one more candle each night
- Playing dreidel
- Eating latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts)
- Chocolate gelt (coins)
- Singing Hanukkah songs
๐ค Hebrew words to learn
| menorah (hanukkiah) | ืึฒื ึปืึดึผืึธึผื |
| dreidel | ืกึฐืึดืืืึนื |
| candle | ื ึตืจ |
| miracle | ื ึตืก |
๐ A blessing: Lighting the Hanukkah lights
ืึธึผืจืึผืึฐ ืึทืชึธึผื ืืณ ืึฑืึนืึตืื ืึผ ืึถืึถืึฐ ืึธืขืึนืึธื, ืึฒืฉึถืืจ ืงึดืึฐึผืฉึธืื ืึผ ืึฐึผืึดืฆึฐืึนืชึธืื ืึฐืฆึดืึธึผื ืึผ ืึฐืึทืึฐืึดืืง ื ึตืจ ืึฒื ึปืึธึผื.
Say it: Barukh atah Adonai, Eloheinu melekh ha-olam, asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetsivanu lehadlik ner Hanukkah.
It means: Blessed are You, Lord our God, ruler of the universe, who made us holy through Your commandments and commanded us to light a Hanukkah lamp.
This is the first candle-lighting blessing. Other blessings are also said; Shehecheyanu is normally added on the first night. An adult handles the lighting.
โ๏ธ Crafts & activities
How to Play Dreidel
You need: A dreidel, Coins, nuts or chocolate gelt
- Everyone puts one piece in the middle (the "pot").
- Take turns spinning. Nun = nothing ยท Gimel = take the whole pot ยท Hey = take half ยท Shin = put one in.
- When the pot is empty, everyone adds one again. Play until someone has everything โ or until dinner!
Paper Menorah with Flame Countdown
You need: Blue paper, Yellow paper, Glue, Scissors
- Cut nine paper candles โ make one taller for the shamash.
- Glue them in a row on blue paper.
- Each night, glue a yellow paper flame on one more candle, from right to left.
๐๏ธ Hanukkah coloring pages
Hanukkah quiz
How many nights is Hanukkah?
What is the helper candle called?
Who led the fight against King Antiochus?
Why do we eat latkes and doughnuts on Hanukkah?
Which letters are on a dreidel outside Israel?
๐ญ Letโs talk
How can you add a little more light to the world each day, like the candles?
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