The Hanukkah Celebration

Diary of Anne Frank Unit8th Grade ELA

OMMS

Hanukkah History•Long ago in the land of Judea there

was a Syrian king, Antiochus. The king ordered the Jewish people to reject their God, their religion, their customs and their beliefs and to worship the Greek gods. There were some who did as they were told, but many refused. One who refused was Judah Maccabee.

• Judah and his four brothers formed an army and chose as their name the word "Maccabee", which means hammer. After three years of fighting, they finally drove the Syrians out of and reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem.

• The Maccabees wanted to clean the building and to remove the hated Greek symbols and statues. On the 25th day of the month of Kislev, the job was finished and the temple was rededicated.

•When Judah and the others finished cleaning the temple, they wanted to light the eternal light, which is present in every Jewish house of worship. Once lit, the oil lamp should never be extinguished

• Only a tiny jug of oil was found with enough for a single day. The oil lamp was filled and lit. Then a miracle occurred as the tiny amount of oil stayed lit not for 1 day, but for 8 days.

Hanukkah Today• The Festival of the Lights, Hanukkah,

lasts for eight days to commemorate the miracle of the oil. The word Hanukkah means "rededication"

• In America, families celebrate Chanukkah at home. They give and receive gifts, decorate the house, entertain friends and family, eat special foods, and light the holiday menorah

The Menorah• To Jews and non-Jews alike, the

menorah is the most recognizable symbol of Hanukkah.

• It's usually a nine-branch candelabrum whose candles are lit by a "Shamash" or service candle which then takes its own place at the center of the menorah.

• On the first night of Hanukkah, a single candle is lit on the far right side of the menorah. A candle is added, from right to left, each night, and the newest candle is always lit first.

• Ideally, the candles should be lit as soon as stars become visible in the night sky.

• While the candles are being lit and the blessing given, the whole family and any guests gather to witness the ceremony.

• By the eighth night, with all eight candles lit, the menorah makes a spectacular sight.

• And as they did the previous evenings, the candles will continue to shine until they burn themselves out.

The Dreidel• The most popular game

associated with Hanukah is the dreidel game. A dreidel is a four-sided top containing a letter on each side. Each letter stands for one word of the phrase-"A great miracle happened there (here).”

• To play this game, each player starts with 10 pennies, or chocolates. Each player puts a penny in the pot.

• The dreidel is spun, one player at a time. If the dreidel lands on nun, nothing happens. If the dreidel lands on gimmel, the player wins the pot. If the dreidel lands on heh, the player takes half the pot.

• If the player lands on shin or peh, the player adds two pennies to the pot.

• When no pennies are left in the pot, each player adds one. When one player has won everything, the game is over.

Nun means nisht or "nothing." Player does nothing Gimmel means gantz or "all." Player takes everything in the pot. Hey means halb or "half." Player takes half of what is in the pot.

Shin means shtel or "put in." Player adds two objects to the pot.