Hannukah Family Program
Written and edited by Dave Savage DaveSavage.com
Chanukka, Hanuka, Hanukkah, Chanuka 20?? Welcome everyone – let’s get started with a song
(We’ll take turns reading sections – including the children)
Let's start the programs with a song..
Ohhhh... dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay, And when it’s dry and ready, Oh dreidel, I will play.
It has a lovely body, With legs so short and thin, And when it’s all tired out, It drops and then I win.
Ohhh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay, And when it’s dry and ready, Oh dreidel, I will play.
My dreidel’s always playful, It loves to dance and spin, A happy game of dreidel, Come play, Now let’s begin.
Hanukkah typifies Judaism; one holiday and many ways to explain it and spell it.
Hanukkah is our festival of lights and a remembrance of our ancestors struggle for religious and cultural independence.
We tell the traditional children’s version, the one with righteous victors, and balance it with a dose of historical reality.
The telling of the basic components of the ancient story of Chanukah is common to most Jewish communities around the world. Additional stories and interpretations which encourage us to think about religious and personal freedom are done differently by each community. We hope you find value in our program today.
Some of the questions the Chanukah story invokes are: For what great cause are we willing to risk our lives and that of our family? How much are we willing to be absorbed into a dominant culture and not work to preserve the cultural and religious differences that we value? Can a dominant religious culture that views itself as the chosen one coexist peacefully with minority religions that also consider themselves the only true path?
The players in the Chanukah story are the Hasmoneans, their clan name, and the Maccabees, a family name given to the leaders of the revolt. How did they get the name Maccabees? One opinion is that the word "Maccabee" was created by joining the first letters of the words in Hebrew meaning "Who among the mighty is like You, O G-d?". This was the battle cry of the Jewish patriots who fought against the Syrian-Greeks. According to the second theory, "Maccabee" is the Hebrew word for hammer. Judah, the leader of the revolt, was given the name "Maccabee" because of his great strength.
The story of Hanukkah begins in the reign of Alexander the Great. Alexander conquered Syria, Egypt and Palestine, but allowed the lands under his control to continue observing their own religions and retain a certain degree of autonomy. Under this relatively benevolent rule, many Jews assimilated much of Hellenistic culture, adopting the language, the customs and the dress of the Greeks, in much the same way that Jews in America today blend into the secular American society. More than a century later a successor of Alexander, Antiochus IV, was in control of the region. He began to oppress the Jews severely, placing a Hellenistic priest in the temple, prohibiting the practice of the Jewish religion, and desecrating the Temple by requiring the sacrifice of pigs on the altar.
Two groups opposed Antiochus: a basically nationalistic group led by Mattathias of Hasmonean clan and his son Judah Maccabee, and a religious traditionalist group. They joined forces in a revolt against both the assimilation of the Hellenistic Jews and oppression by the Greek government. The revolution succeeded and the Temple was rededicated. The word Chanukah means rededication. Chanukah is celebrated for eight days beginning on the twenty-fifth of the Hebrew lunar month of Kislev.
There are several stories to explain why we have eight days of the celebration because there are no historical references to it. One explanation is that to take the emphasis of the story away from the rebellion and make it religious, the rabbis created the story of the miraculous oil. The legend is that a small amount of “sacred” oil was found in the destroyed temple. When the temple was restored they needed the special oil for the eternal lamp in the sanctuary. The story is that the small amount found was just enough to last one day, but was miraculously still burning for eight days. As we light these candles we appreciate the stories of our past. We can say that the real miracle was the courage and commitment of the Jews to preserve their religious and cultural traditions.
Let us join in singing - Oh Hanukka
Oh Chanukah, Oh Chanukah, Come light the Menorah,
Let’s have a party, We’ll all dance the hora.
Gather round the table, we’ll give you a treat,
Shiny tops to play with and latkes to eat.
And while we are playing, The candles are burning low,
One for each night, they shed a sweet light
To remind us of days long ago.
One for each night, they shed a sweet light,
To remind us of days long ago.
There are also several stories about how the dreidel became a part of Chanukah. The one most told is that one of the simple games of the ancient times was a simple spinning top with giving and taking symbols on the side. You could use coins, pebbles or whatever you had to play with. Each person starts with the same amount and you play for a period of time or until one person has all of the money.
The legend is that the game was used to periodically hide the Maccabees’ true actions during the revolt. This is why candy coins are also a part of the Chanukah celebration.
When telling the story of how a group of Jews fought for religious freedom, most people usually stop the story at the time of victory, because the story of the Maccabee’s leadership and their dealing with other people’s religious observance isn’t very nice, including that of other Jews. As we have experienced throughout history, religious and political rebels / freedom fighters seldom make well balanced leaders. We study our ancestor’s beliefs and behavior in our effort to build a society where people of good will can get along with each other. Each of us is a role model for what works and doesn’t work in building a community.
The primary traditional food of Chanukah is the Latka or Latkey. The pronunciation depends on where you grew up. It is an oil fried potato pancake common to many traditions around the world . Its origin, for us, is eastern European and comes from the fact that the lowly potato was available to most everyone and there was oil in the story. Spanish and North African Ladino Jews have other Chanukah foods. In Israel there are also fried donuts with jelly filling called “soof-gone-ee-oat”
The Hanukkah lights are one of our symbols and rituals that can cause us to stop and think of issues beyond ourselves. May the lessons of Chanukah not be lost on us for it is only through our efforts that peace will come one day to the world.
As we light the Hannukah candles, let us say together
Blessed is the light of Chanukah.
Blessed is the miracle of peace that we long to see for all of humanity.
May these Chanukah lights symbolize our continuing struggle to create a place of freedom and dignity for everyone.
Blessed is the light within us which has kept us in life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this happy season.
We can also acknowledge and know the traditional blessings over the menorah lights, that are familiar to many of you.
Let us sing together - Baruch Atah AHdonoy, Elohaynu Melech Ha-olom, Asher Kid-esh-ahnu BeH-mitz-vo-tov
Vitz-EE-vonu Leh-Had-lik Ner Shel Chanukah.
Baruch AtAh Adonoy, Elo heinu Melech Ha olom, Sheh-ech-iyonu VeH-kEy-imonu, Veh-Higionu Lazman Hazeh.
(FYI approximate translations) ”Blessed are you, lord our God, ruler of the universe, who has sanctified us by your commandments, and has commanded us to kindle the lights of Chanukah.”
”Blessed are you, lord our God, ruler of the universe, who has preserved us and enabled us to reach this season”
And so ends our program after we sing a few fun songs and have some good food to eat.
Herman the Hanukkah Candle
To the tune of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
Herman the Hanukkah Candle
Had a very Shiny Light
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it was bright
All of the other candles
Used to laugh and call him names
They never let poor Herman
Join in any Hanukkah Games
Then one foggy Hannukah eve
The Rabbi came to say
"Herman with your Light so bright
Won't you lead our service tonight"
Then all the candles loved him
As they shouted out with Glee
Herman the Hanukkah candle
You'll go down in History!
Baruch Atah Adonoy, Elo heinu Melech Ha olom, Sheh-ech-iyonu VeH-kEy-imonu, Veh-Higionu Lazman Hazeh. (Blessed is God who has helped to bring us to this wonderful time)
Rock of Ages – Maoz Tzur
Rock of Ages, let our song
Praise thy saving power
Thou amidst the raging foes
Was our sheltering tower
Furious they assailed us
But thine arm availed us
And Thy word broke their sword
When our own strength failed us
And Thy word broke their sword
When our own strength failed us.
FYI – background information
The dreidel — A simple toy given many meanings and a questionable history.
From the German dreihen, "to spin," and Yiddish for Turn. Or in Hebrew Sevivon, also meaning to turn. This top was popular in medieval Germany; its letters in Latin characters:
Playing the dreidel game - each side represents something to do
Nun-nisht (nothing);
Gimel-gantz (get all)
Heh-halb (take half)
Shin-shtel (put ante into the “pot”),
The Hebrew letters nun, gimel, heh, shin on the dreidel are usually explained as the initial letters of the phrase that epitomized the great event -- "A great miracle happened there." After Israel became a state, one of the letters on the Israeli dreidels were substituted, so the meaning given was A great miracle happened here. and it still worked an a gambling game
Symbolically, the top recalls the "turnover" of events when Judah the Maccabee's few forces vanquished and toppled the many in Antiochus' army. The natural sequence of events was overtuned: the strong were spun into the hands of the weak.
Early in the revolt, it is said in tradition that the enemy army would visit the camps of the Jewish rebels and the people would be playing games to distract the solders from their preparations.
Hanukkah Gelt
Savings bonds, checks, and small chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil-these are the modern incarnations of the traditional gift known as Hanukkah gelt. “Gelt” is a Yiddish term for “money.”
Although it is an old and cherished custom, the roots of gelt – giving go back much further than the Middle Ages, the era in which the custom is usually said to have originated. Even though it is not mentioned in neither the Talmud nor the Shulhan Arukh (the Code of Jewish Law), the importance of coins in the history of the Hasmonean period is undeniable.
The First Book of Maccabees records that in 142 B.C.E., 22 years after the Temple was recaptured, Simon the Maccabee, the surviving son of Mattathias, finally brought independence to Judea. Syria’s King Antiochus VII declared to Simon: “I turn over to you the right to make your own stamp for coinage for your country.” (I Macabees 15:6) The ability to mint its own coins was a concrete expression of the newly-won independence of the Jewish people.
During the following years of the Hasmonean dynasty, the first Jewish coins in history were issued. Most depicted cornucopia, symbolic of the prosperity of the country during these years. One of the coins minted by the last of the Hasmonean kings, Antigonus Matityahu (40-37 B.C.E.), portrayed the seven-branched menorah on one side and the Table of Shew Bread on the other, both symbols of the restored Temple. Some scholars conjecture that these designs may actually have been intended to remind the people of Hanukkah, which had been neglected during the waning years of the Hasmonean dynasty.
When the Second Temple was destroyed in 70 C.E., Jewish coinage ceased until modem times, except for a brief period during the Bar Kochba Revolution (132-135 C.E.). So, no Jewish coins were available to distribute when the custom of Hanukkah gelt – giving emerged as an important part of the festival during the Middle Ages. Then, it was traditional to give Hanukkah gelt to the local Jewish teacher; in fact, it was his primary means of support. When the tradition was expanded to include giving coins to children, it became a way to emphasize the importance of Jewish education and the study of Torah.
Since the founding of the State of Israel, Jewish coinage has become a fascinating part of numismatics worldwide. In 1958, the Bank of Israel initiated a program of striking special commemorative coins for use as Hanukkah gelt. In a brilliantly conceived move to link the modern world with the ancient history of our people, the first Hanukkah coin portrayed exactly the same menorah that had appeared on the Last Maccabean coins of Antigonus Matityahu, 1,998 years earlier. Each year since 1958 (except 1964-71), the Hanukkah gelt coin has honored a different Jewish community around the world. In 1972, a silver coin was struck showing a 20th century Russian menorah, a rather clear message to the world about Soviet Jewry. On the 200th anniversary of the United States' Declaration of Independence, the 1976 Hanukkah coin featured a colonial American menorah. Other issues through the years have featured Menorahs from many different lands where Jews have lived.
Whatever your source for Hanukkah gelt, it is always a wonderful tradition to put some of what you receive into a tzedakah box in order to share your good fortune with those in need or for a good cause.
For those coming to their first Hannukah event
What we are going to do today is a blend of kid’s and adult style programs – more than the fairy tale and less than a study seminar.
Pronunciations
Antiochus
Hesmoniuns
Matathyus
Daydel
Mac ah bees
Menorah is a Hebrew word for any religiously significant candelabra. Hannukiah is a specific word for the 9 branched Hannukah candelabra of Hannukah. 98% of everyone would still identify Menorah as specific to Hannukah
The tallest stem is called a shamash or chamis
The candles are added to the right side of the hannukiah and are lit from he left to the right so that the candle from the current day is lit first.
Alternative HJ Hannukah “blessings”
How beautiful is the light of the world.
How wonderful is the light within humankind
which has done wondrous things for our people in ancient times and in these days.
How beautiful is the light of the world.
How wonderful is the light within humankind
which has kept us in life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this happy season.
We share the light of the world.
The lights of freedom and peace.
We share the lights of Hanukkah.
Blessed is the light of Hannukah.
Blessed is the miracle of peace that we long to see for all of humanity.
May these Hannukah lights symbolize our continuing struggle to create a place of freedom and dignity for everone.
Blessed is the light within us which has kept us in life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this happy season.
from Mike Prival
Machar, Washington DC-area Congregation for Secular Humanistic Judaism