About Hanukkah

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Light One Candle Lyrics

Of his “Light One Candle” song, Peter Yarrow said “I wanted to write a song that would be… a call for peace and reconciliation”. Click here for the “Light One Candle” video Light One Candle, by Peter Yarrow Light one candle for the Maccabee children With thanks their light didn’t die; Light one candle for [...]

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What is a Hanukkiah?

The hanukkiah is a special type of menorah made just for Hanukkah. Instead of having seven branches to represent the seven days of the week, like a regular menorah, it has nine branches. It is used to commemorate and publicize the miracle of the oil, which was enough to last one day but instead lasted [...]


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Popular Hanukkah Songs

In Judaism, every holiday (including the weekly Sabbath celebration) has its own special songs. Hanukkah is no exception! Because it is such a festive and joyous holiday, there are literally dozens of Hanukkah songs out there, from ancient ones to very modern ones. Here are some of the most popular Hanukkah songs! Hanukkah Blessings The [...]

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What are the Letters on a Dreidel?

The dreidel is a spinning top used to play games on Hanukkah. It is unique because it has certain letters written on each side of it. These letters are: נ (Nun), ג (Gimmel), ה (Hey), and ש (Shin), which stand for the phrase “Nes Gadol Hayah Sham” which means, “A great miracle happened there.” In [...]


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Applesauce or Sour Cream?

It’s that time of year when families rally behind their favorite latke topping: applesauce or sour cream. As for me, I stand 100% with Team Applesauce, especially homemade, but I’ll settle for store bought if that’s all you have! How about you? What’s your favorite Hanukkah latke topping? (Am I making you hungry? Here are [...]

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Latke Recipes

Potato pancakes, called “latkes” in Yiddish, are probably the most popular and well-known food of Hanukkah. In fact, when people think of Jewish people and culture, they often think of Hanukkah and latkes. Here are some great recipes for latkes, including the traditional potato pancakes, a vegan version, and some other fun versions! Traditional Potato [...]


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Hanukkah Recipes

The holiday of Hanukkah celebrates the miracle of the oil that lasted eight days when it only should have lasted one. To commemorate this miracle, there are now many traditional Jewish foods that involve oil. Other common Hanukkah recipes celebrate other aspects of the holiday, such as gelt. Here are some popular Hanukkah recipes: Potato [...]

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What Is Hanukkah Gelt?

Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday with many fun traditions that are eagerly anticipated by children and adults alike. One that most children look forward to eagerly is receiving Hanukkah gelt, or money. Today, most coins are made of chocolate and are wrapped in gold or silver foil. Not only are they fun “money” to play [...]

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What is the Difference Between a Hanukiah and a Menorah?

According to tradition, every year from the 25th of Kislev which is the Jewish calendar or the end of December according to the Gregorian calendar, Jews all over the world celebrate Hanukkah, the festival of light. The main religious tradition of Hanukkah is lighting the Hanukiah. Some people confuse the Hanukiah with a Menorah however; [...]

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Hanukkah Traditions

Hanukah falls at the same time every year, normally overlapping with Christmas holidays. Hanukah is a time of excitement and joy between families and especially for children. There are a wide variety of traditions which include eating oily foods like doughnuts and latkes. Latkes are the Jewish version of hash browns. Lighting the Hanukiah, which [...]

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