This short animated video (03:51) presents an excellent overview of the origins, significance and customs of Hannukah, the Jewish festival of lights. Useful for people of all ages and backgrounds, it focuses on how
This informative video (02:24) explores the significance of the menorah as the eternal symbol of the Jewish nation throughout history, from the Biblical commandment to create a menorah after the Exodus from
Along with a minute long video introducing the Maccabees role in the Hanukkah story, this thought-provoking article by Michele Alperin presents the celebrated Jewish heroes as multi-layered historical figures who
This post contains a series of eight 2-3 minute-long, thought-provoking videos in which Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the previous Chief Rabbi of Great Britain, explores various Hannukah themes. The first video, featured above, discusses
In this inspiring video (02:20), Rabbi Yitzchak Botton explains that Hannukah is not the commemoration of a one-time historical event, but rather the opportunity to tap into a revelation of
This short video (0:40) from My Jewish Learning, briefly explains the historical reasons behind the custom of playing dreidel – a gambling game with spinning tops – on the holiday of Hannukah.
This introductory article briefly explains the history, customs and significance of Hannukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights. A helpful resource for anyone interested in the basic background and practice of the festival, this
This lengthy academic article is an excerpt from Martin Hengel’s seminal work «Judaism and Hellenism: Studies in their Encounter in Palestine during the Early Hellenistic Period.» Through studies of archaeological evidence and
Written by Rabbi Iscah Waldman, this article explores how the modern phenomenon of public displays of Hanukkah menorahs in store fronts, city squares and private homes developed from ancient rabbinic
Created by educators at The Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies, this 8-page long booklet provides one article for each night of Hannukah, each one exploring a different theme of the Jewish
Reprinted from Celebrate! The Complete Jewish Holiday Handbook by Lesli Koppelman Ross, this article summarizes the story of Hannukah from the 2nd century BCE, including both the Maccabean revolt against the
In this introductory article, Ariela Pelaia explains the origins of the custom of giving «gelt» to children on Hannukah, including the development from money to chocolate coins. Published on ThoughtCo, a website that
Written by Aviya Kushner, the language columnist at The Forward, this article explores the deeper meaning of the Hebrew word «Hannukah,» with an emphasis on the linguistic and thematic ties
This introductory article from the Society for Humanistic Judaism explains the themes and customs of Hannukah according to the Humanistic community. The community focuses on the values of human action, courage, dignity, freedom, justice, Jewish identity,
Created by the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute, this infographic presents Jewish mystical insights and symbolism behind eight Hannukah-related themes, including candles, oil, the Maccabees, the Greeks, and the
Written by Orthodox psychotherapist, Karen Wolfers-Rapaport, this profound article from Chabad.org explores the connection between Hannukah – the eight day festival of miracles – and the Kabbalsitic significance of the number eight.
Created by NCSY, an Orthodox organization dedicated to inspiring Jewish youth to engage with Judaism, this one-page document presents one Hannukah-themed thought for each night of the festival, along with guiding questions
This minute long introductory video presents a brief overview of the origins, significance and customs of Hannukah. This video is provided by Parsha in 60 Seconds, a YouTube Channel which creates and distributes short, accessible videos
Produced by Jewish Educational Media, the multimedia archive of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, this inspiring video (07:43) encourages viewers to appreciate the everyday miracles of nature, technology and history. The
This thorough article answers all of your questions about the Jewish Festival of Lights, including instructions for how to spell and pronounce the word «Hannukah,» an explanation of the customs, ritual
Written by Rabbi Jill Hammer, this post presents an introduction to Chag HaBanot, a women’s festival traditionally celebrated during Hannukah by some Sephardic and North African communities, as well as a summary of
This post contains a series of eight thoughtful, one-minute-long, animated videos exploring various Hannukah themes from a psychological, relationship-focused perspective. The first video, featured above, discusses the centrality of family cohesion and home life
In this moving video (03:53), Rabbi Yaakov Cohen attributes the miraculous spiritual and physical survival of the Jewish people throughout history to the eternal commitment to the Torah, symbolized by the menorah. He
In this short video (01:15), Joshua Mallett clearly explains the difference between the 7-branched menorah lit in the ancient Temple and the 9-branched channukiah lit on Hannukah. Reviewing the biblical origins
In this interesting video (03:36), Rabbi Judith Hauptman explores the Talmudic references to Hannukah, suggesting that the significance of the minor Jewish holiday has always been aggrandized due to its
Produced by the Jewish Women’s Archive, this informative video (02:24) emphasizes the feminist Jewish history angle of the Hannukah story, briefly telling the story of the Book of Judith, where a
Produced by the American TV Network, History, this introductory video (03:50) presents the historical origins and modern customs of Hannukah, the Jewish festival of lights.
Produced by Speakaboos, an educational company promoting children’s literacy, this short animated video (02:15) presents the Hannukah story and the historical origins of the holiday. Although the video was created for
In this humorous, informal video (05:58), actress and neuroscientist Mayim Bialik presents a short true or false quiz to clear up some misconceptions about the Jewish holiday of Hannukah. Bialik explains the basic historical
In this short informative video (01:55), Ben Shapiro provides a quick historical overview of the history of Hannukah, emphasizing the political dynamics within the Jewish community, as well as between
This excerpt notes the universally recognized power of fire, as well as its particular significance in Jewish ritual, such as lighting Shabbat and Hannukah candles and the Havdalah ceremony. It
Inspired by both nature and Jewish mysticism, this short article explores the physical and spiritual power of light in Jewish tradition as well as our own personal experience. Originally from Wellsprings of
This educational resource compares the Hebrew, English and Yiddish versions of popular Hannukah songs «Chanukah Oh Chanukah» and «Mi Yimallel / Who Can Retell?», exploring what the differences in translation
Written by Jewish American artist, Flory Jagoda in Ladino (Judaeo-Spanish), «Ocho Kandelikas» (2:15) (Eight Little Candles) is a Hannukah song describing the excitement of celebrating the holiday with candle lighting, special food and
This post presents eight fun and creative Hannukah-themed music videos created by the Maccabeats , an all-male Jewish a cappella group that originally formed as Yeshiva University’s student vocal choir. Strongly committed
This post presents all four versions of The Hannukah Song, a humorous song by Adam Sandler, in which the Jewish comedian tries to make Jewish children feel less alienated during
In this music video, husband-wife team, Yonina, perform a creative medley of traditional Hannukah songs, including Maoz Tzur and Al Hanissim, with modern Israeli songs, including Shlomi Shabat’s «Biglal Haruach» (Because of the
This Hanukkah songbook contains the lyrics for many traditional Hanukkah songs, including some in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino. Compiled by Aharon Varady and Nomi Raye Lerman, this resource was shared on The
This post presents ten fun and creative Hanukkah-themed music videos created by Six13, an all-male Jewish a cappella group driven by a mission to connect Jews around the globe with their
This post presents Rabbi Shefa Gold’s meditative chant for Hannukah, along with her own description of the visualizations that she practices while singing these words and lighting the Hannukah candles. Rabbi Shefa Gold is a
A contemporary take on the traditional Al Hanisim prayer for Hannukah, this Jewish folk song by Julie Geller encourages us to be grateful for the miracles in our lives and
This child-friendly animated video features nine English Hannukah songs for young children, including classics such as «Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel» and «Hannukah Oh Hannukah.» This video was created by Kiboomu, a
This upbeat video presents a medley of classic Yiddish Hasidic Hannukah songs, performed by Belz Hasidic singer, Shulem Lemmer, the Freilach Band and the Shira Choir.
This video features the American folk group Peter, Paul and Mary performing their popular Hannukah song, «Light One Candle.» Written in 1982 in response to the First Lebanon War between
With onscreen captions, this video presents both the English and Hebrew versions of this popular Hannukah song, originally written in Yiddish. While the English lyrics are not a direct translation
This post features two Hannukah raps by American Jewish rapper, singer, and spoken word artist, Ari Lesser. Hip Hop Hannukah retells the Hannukah story and criticises the modern commercialization of the holiday. Yehudit
Written by William Levin and performed by Michelle Citrin, this song not only reminds us in which direction to light the Hannukah candles, but the collaborative music video sends a
This post presents five fun and creative Hannukah-themed music videos created by Shir Soul, an all-male Jewish a cappella group, wedding band and DJ based in New York. The songs
Thought to have been written in the 13th century, Ma’oz Tzur is a liturgical poem traditionally sung by Ashkenazi Jews after lighting the festival lights on Hannukah. The lyrics, provided below in
This post presents three fun and creative Hannukah-themed music videos created by The Fountainheads. The Fountainheads is an artistic project, led by young Israeli singers, dancers and musicians, all students of
This audio recording presents Chazan Maor Cohen singing Psalm 30 with a Moroccan melody. Allegedly composed by King David to be sung when his son, King Solomon, dedicated the Temple, this psalm
Al HaNissim is a short paragraph added to the Amidah prayer and the Grace After Meals on Hannukah, thanking God for the miraculous redemption celebrated on this holiday and briefly retelling
This post provides an audio recording from the Sephardic Hazzanut Project and the Hebrew, English and transliterated lyrics for Ya Hatzel, a traditional Sephardic Hannukah song that includes praise to God
This post presents the Hannukah candle lighting blessings and songs sung according to Moroccan tradition by Rabbi David Kadoch. The first video begins with the two blessings recited upon lighting the
With onscreen karaoke-style texts of the blessing in English, Hebrew and transliterated, this animated instructional video (02:20) teaches how to sing the blessings when lighting the menorah on Hannukah using popular
In this short video (03:10), Rabbi Jordan Bendat-Appell, a Program Director and teacher of Jewish mindfulness for the Institute for Jewish Spirituality, offers a brief meditation practice to do when lighting your
This educational resource explores what our modern understanding of the Hannukah story says about our own Jewish identity, including sources about the impact of Hellenism on Jewish culture and the historical
This post presents the recipe for bimuelos (a Ladino derivation of the Spanish buneolos, meaning fritters), a traditional Sephardic Hannukah dessert. The sweet dough balls are fried in oil, to
Created by the Limmud Chavruta Program for Hanukkah, this 4-page long document contains sources that explore the complex concept of unity in Jewish tradition, including traditional Jewish texts, modern quotes, and references
This article contains an interactive map that shows where the events and battles described in the Hannukah story are believed to have occurred and what they look like today.
In this poem, Devon Spier prays for a new Hannukah light that has the power to unite and redeem the entire world. The writer, rabbinical student and spiritual entrepreneur shared her poem on Ritualwell, a
This Hanukkah songbook contains the lyrics for many traditional Hanukkah songs, including some in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino. Compiled by Aharon Varady and Nomi Raye Lerman, this resource was shared on The
Created by the Limmud Chavruta Program for Hanukkah, this 4-page long document contains eight sources that explore the concept of miracles, including traditional Jewish texts, modern stories, and even the
Created by the Temple Institute, an organization working towards the building of the third Temple in Jerusalem, this video (05:28) presents a replica of the golden menorah once used in the Temple
This post presents an intentional prayer for peace in Israel and the world to be recited when lighting the Hanukkah candles. It was written by the late Bonna Devora Haberman,
Written by Rabbi DovBer Pinson, an expert on Kabbalah, Jewish Philosophy and Rosh Yeshiva at the IYYUN Center for Jewish Spirituality, this complex article shares some deep mystical ideas to
This entertaining video (0:58) presents an impressive Rube Goldberg machine that lights the Hannukah candle, created by students at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology.
This video (04:36) from the CBS American news network explores the Hanukkah menorah as a symbol of light and hope in Judaica art. From a family who have a personal
This post presents two clips from a special episode of Nickelodeon’s Rugrats, the first ever Hanukkah episode of a children’s television series. It tells the story through the eyes of the
This post presents video clips from the annual White House Hanukkah party, in which special guests are hosted at the official residence of the President of the United States for
This link will take you to an entire website dedicated to teaching children about Hannukah holiday in a fun and interactive way. With holiday guides, videos, recipes, stories, games, and arts
In this article, Rabbi Debra Orenstein takes us back to the first eight days in the rededicated Temple, trying to imagine the thoughts and emotions that arose when the Jews
This post presents Rabbi Shefa Gold’s meditative chant for Hannukah, along with her own description of the visualizations that she practices while singing these words and lighting the Hannukah candles. Rabbi Shefa Gold is a
Created by Rabbi Yael Levy, this complete Hannukah ceremony provides teachings and practices for each night of Hannukah, including quotes, songs, meditations, activities, and calls to action, each exploring a
This Hannukah booklet contains short pieces of Jewish and universal wisdom for each night of the holiday, the text of the candle-lighting blessings, and the full scripts for two humorous, light-hearted
Created by NCSY, an Orthodox organization dedicated to inspiring Jewish youth to engage with Judaism, this one-page document presents one Hannukah-themed thought for each night of the festival, along with guiding questions
This short video (01:55) captures the magical festive atmosphere of Hanukkah in the Old City of Jerusalem, including tables of sufganiyot, the giant menorah at the Western Wall, and families lighting
Thought to have been written in the 13th century, Ma’oz Tzur is a liturgical poem traditionally sung by Ashkenazi Jews after lighting the festival lights on Hannukah. The lyrics, provided below in
Created by the Rabbinical Assembly, this resource outlines the Hannukah candle-lighting ceremony according to Conservative tradition. The document provides the Hebrew, English and transliterated texts of the three blessings, Hanerot
Al HaNissim is a short paragraph added to the Amidah prayer and the Grace After Meals on Hannukah, thanking God for the miraculous redemption celebrated on this holiday and briefly retelling
Written by Rabbi Jill Hammer, this post presents an introduction to Chag HaBanot, a women’s festival traditionally celebrated during Hannukah by some Sephardic and North African communities, as well as a summary of
This post provides an audio recording from the Sephardic Hazzanut Project and the Hebrew, English and transliterated lyrics for Ya Hatzel, a traditional Sephardic Hannukah song that includes praise to God
This link opens up the Hebrew, English and transliterated text of a prayer that can be read from the beginning of the Hebrew month of Kislev through the end of Hannukah. Comprised
This Hanukkah songbook contains the lyrics for many traditional Hanukkah songs, including some in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino. Compiled by Aharon Varady and Nomi Raye Lerman, this resource was shared on The
In this instructional video (04:05), Rabbi David Benchlouch of the Sephardi Hebrew Congregation of Cape Town demonstrates how to light the Hannukah candles according to Sephardic tradition. Whereas in Ashkenazi custom,
This audio recording presents Chazan Maor Cohen singing Psalm 30 with a Moroccan melody. Allegedly composed by King David to be sung when his son, King Solomon, dedicated the Temple, this psalm
This post offers several different home services for the Hannukah candle lighting, including blessings, intentions, readings and songs that reflect the values and beliefs of Humanistic Judaism. Founded in 1963 by
This link opens up the Hebrew and English text of a Hasidic prayer that can be recited prior to the lighting of the Hannukah candles, composed by Rebbe Tzvi Elimelech
This document provides the full English and Hebrew translations of Megillat Antiochus (The Scroll of Antiochus), an ancient historical account of the story of Hannukah, originally written in Aramaic. For
This document presents the Hebrew, English and transliterated texts of the blessings recited upon lighting the menorah, as well as the songs traditionally sung at this time, «Hanerot Halalu» and
This post presents the Hannukah candle lighting blessings and songs sung according to Moroccan tradition by Rabbi David Kadoch. The first video begins with the two blessings recited upon lighting the
With onscreen karaoke-style texts of the blessing in English, Hebrew and transliterated, this animated instructional video (02:20) teaches how to sing the blessings when lighting the menorah on Hannukah using popular
This short instructional video (02:59) demonstrates how to light the menorah on Hannukah, including where to place the menorah, in what order to set up and light the candles, and which blessings
This post presents alternative versions of «Hanerot Halalu,» as well as the blessings recited upon lighting the menorah. As explained in more detail below, several alterations were made to «Hanerot Halalu» in
This short instructional video (01:36) demonstrates how to make latkes, fried potato pancakes traditionally eaten on Hannukah by Ashkenazi Jews. For an ingredient list and full instructions, click here. This resource is from MyJewishLearning,
This short instructional video (01:50) demonstrates how to play dreidel, a family-friendly gambling game traditionally played on Hannukah with a four-sided spinning top. Created by Howcast.com, a source for fun, free how-to videos about a
This instructional video (04:09) from Jewlicious.com demonstrates how to make «sfenj,» Moroccan donuts traditionally eaten on Hannukah. The ingredient list and step-by-step instructions can be seen below. For the full
This thorough article answers all of your questions about the Jewish Festival of Lights, including instructions for how to spell and pronounce the word «Hannukah,» an explanation of the customs, ritual
In this instructional video (04:05), Rabbi David Benchlouch of the Sephardi Hebrew Congregation of Cape Town demonstrates how to light the Hannukah candles according to Sephardic tradition. Whereas in Ashkenazi custom,
This short instructional video (01:26) demonstrates how to make sufganiyot, jelly-filled donuts traditionally eaten on Hannukah. For an ingredient list and full instructions, click here. This resource is from MyJewishLearning, an online resource
This post presents the recipe for bimuelos (a Ladino derivation of the Spanish buneolos, meaning fritters), a traditional Sephardic Hannukah dessert. The sweet dough balls are fried in oil, to
Created by the Rabbinical Assembly, this resource outlines the Hannukah candle-lighting ceremony according to Conservative tradition. The document provides the Hebrew, English and transliterated texts of the three blessings, Hanerot
With onscreen karaoke-style texts of the blessing in English, Hebrew and transliterated, this animated instructional video (02:20) teaches how to sing the blessings when lighting the menorah on Hannukah using popular
This short instructional video (01:12) presents a basic explanation of how to set up and light the menorah on Hannukah. This resource is from MyJewishLearning, an online resource that empowers Jewish
This short instructional video (02:59) demonstrates how to light the menorah on Hannukah, including where to place the menorah, in what order to set up and light the candles, and which blessings