Long ago, in a place called Jerusalem, there was a powerful king named Antiochus. He wanted the Jewish people to worship Greek gods, but they didn’t want to. He even destroyed their holy temple and the special menorah inside it.
A small group of brave people called the Maccabees decided to fight back. Even though the king had a big army, the Maccabees won! They went back to their temple to fix it and found the menorah. But there was only enough oil to keep it burning for one day.
They lit the menorah anyway, and something amazing happened. Instead of burning for just one day, it stayed lit for eight days! This was a miracle, and it’s why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days.
Hanukkah is a special holiday for Jewish people. It’s also called the Festival of Lights. It celebrates their fight for freedom and the miracle of the oil. Hanukkah usually happens in late November or December.
During Hanukkah, families light a special candle holder called a hanukkiah. It has nine candles. Eight of them are for each night of Hanukkah, and the ninth one, called the shamash, is used to light the others.
Hanukkah is a time for yummy food! Because of the oil miracle, people eat foods cooked in oil, like potato pancakes called latkes and jelly donuts.
Just like other holidays, people give gifts during Hanukkah. This is called mishloach manot, and it’s a mitzvah, which means a good deed. There’s also a fun game called dreidel. It’s played with a spinning top that has Hebrew letters on it. The letters tell a story about the miracle of Hanukkah.
Everyone has their own way of celebrating special days. During Hanukkah, you can say “Hanukkah Sameach,” which means “Happy Hanukkah!” It’s a time for family, friends, and lots of fun.
Make Your Own Menorah: Gather some craft supplies like paper towel rolls, construction paper, glue, and markers. Create your own menorah by cutting out candle shapes and decorating them. Each day of Hanukkah, add a new “flame” to your menorah. Discuss with your family why each candle is important and what the miracle of the oil means to you.
Oil Experiment: With the help of an adult, explore the concept of oil and water. Fill a clear glass with water and add a few drops of food coloring. Then, slowly pour some vegetable oil into the glass. Watch how the oil floats on top of the water. Talk about why oil is special during Hanukkah and how it was part of the miracle.
Dreidel Game with a Twist: Make your own dreidel using clay or paper. Instead of the traditional Hebrew letters, use symbols or letters that mean something special to you. Play the dreidel game with your family and share stories about what each symbol represents. Discuss how games and stories can help us remember important events and traditions.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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[Music] Thousands of years ago, in a place called Jerusalem, a powerful king named Antiochus invaded the land. He tried to force the Jewish people who lived there to worship Greek gods that they didn’t believe in. He did this by destroying their holy temple and all the sacred objects inside it, including the menorah.
[Music] However, a small group of people called the Maccabees fought against the king and his large army, and they won. The Maccabees returned to their destroyed temple and tried to restore their sacred menorah. They noticed that it had hardly any oil left to burn the candles—only enough for one day. They lit it anyway, and instead of lasting only one day, it burned for eight whole days, which they saw as a miracle.
Do you know what this old tale is about? It’s the story that began the holiday of Hanukkah. Hanukkah is a holy celebration for Jewish people, commemorating their struggle for religious freedom. Hanukkah is also known as the Festival of Lights.
[Music] The celebration of Hanukkah usually occurs in late November or December and lasts for eight days due to the miracle of the oil lasting eight days. During Hanukkah, people light a hanukkiah in their homes. It’s similar to the sacred menorah in the temple, except that it has more candles and is only used during Hanukkah. The hanukkiah has eight main arms and a ninth, which is taller than the rest. This ninth arm is called the shamash and is used to light the other eight candles, one for each day of Hanukkah.
Hanukkah is a time shared between family and friends and a time for lots of food. Since the miracle of the oil is central to the celebration, Jewish people celebrate this time with foods that are cooked in oil, such as potato cakes called latkes and jelly donuts.
Just like many other celebrations around the world, one of the traditions of Hanukkah is the exchange of gifts. This exchanging of gifts is called mishloach manot, and it’s a mitzvah. A mitzvah is a rule or commandment written in the Torah, the holy text of Jewish people, which states what God wants them to do.
One other popular tradition of this special Jewish time is a game called dreidel. It’s played with a square spinning top, which has a Hebrew letter on each side. There are two types of dreidels depending on where you live. If you live in Israel, the Hebrew letters translate to “A great miracle happened here.” If you live outside of Israel, the letters translate to “A great miracle happened there.”
Everyone celebrates special days in their own way. Different people have different traditions that they enjoy during their festivals. During Hanukkah, you can say “Hanukkah Sameach,” which means “Happy Hanukkah.”
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