Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that usually falls in the month of December. Hanukkah is the Jewish word for ‘dedication’. The festival reminds Jews of a time over 2500 years ago, when Antiochus, a Syrian king, tried to make the Jewish people worship Greek gods. A statue of Antiochus was erected in the Jewish temple and the Jews were ordered to bow down before him. The Ten Commandments forbid Jews to worship statues or idols and so they refused.
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A small group of Jews called Maccabees rebelled, and after a three-year war they recaptured Jerusalem from the Syrians. During the war the temple was all but destroyed.
The Jewish people had to clean and repair the Temple, and when they were finished, they rededicated it to God. They did this by lighting the lamp (Menorah), which was a symbol of God’s presence. Only one small jar of oil was found, enough for one day, but miraculously the lamp stayed alight for eight days.
Hanukkah is celebrated by lighting one candle on an eight-stemmed candebrum each day. Hanukkah symbolises how God looked after the Jewish people at this difficult time. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. It is also known as the Festival of Lights and the Feast of Dedication.
Hanukkah is a special time for children. Gifts and Hanukkah money are exchanged. Some families give a small present on each of the eight nights of Hanukkah.
Celebrating Hanukkah
These are some other ideas you could implement to help children within your care celebrate Hanukkah:
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Research the story behind Hanukkah and share this with all children as a bedtime story
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Plan some craft activities such as making candle holders with the children using clay, salt dough, or playdough, or helping children to decorate pouches to hold the Hanukkah geld
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Play some traditional games, such as those which use a spinning top called a dreidel
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Look on the internet, in the library or book shops for Hanukkah books for children
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Purchase or make some Jewish foods, such as rugelach
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Sing traditional Hanukkah songs together, such as Maoz Tsur, Oh Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah, and Sevivon
