The only place in the Bible that Hanukkah is mentioned by name is John 10:22. Messiah was in the Temple for the \u201cfeast of dedication,\u201d as many translations render the Greek word eng-kai-nia. This Greek word translates the Hebrew hanukkah. Both words convey the idea of \u201cconsecration\u201d or \u201cdedication.\u201d Because Messiah connected with Hanukkah, we believe that Christians, as well as Jews, can enjoy this celebration, all the more if its eternal importance is understood.
\nThe focus of the holiday is the re-dedication of the Temple of the Lord about 160 years before Messiah\u2019s birth. God rescued his people, and preserved biblical Judaism. Without this, the prophetic fulfillment pertaining to the birth of Messiah could not have happened. Without Jews, Messiah could not have been born through the tribe of Judah, as a descendant of King David.
\nI\u2019ve invited my family to participate with me in sharing this, one of our favorite holidays, with you. My wife, Steffi, a well-known graphic artist, has offered some wonderful illustrations to help convey Hanukkah to you; she has also written children\u2019s materials that appear later in this book. She\u2019s also a wonderful cook and has included several recipes unique to Hanukkah. Caution: don\u2019t eat too much of this; these are not fat-free recipes.
\nOur older daughter, Rebecca, an accomplished pianist, has pulled together some of the traditional Hanukkah songs that help tell the story. You\u2019ll enjoy singing them. Our younger daughter, Shira, an accomplished singer and \u201cparty-person,\u201d has written out the instructions for the dreydel game, a game developed to teach the story of God\u2019s miraculous redemption of the Jewish people.
\nI hope you will enjoy learning about this very special holiday, a day on which both Christians and Jews can celebrate.<\/p>\n
Background<\/p>\n
Solomon\u2019s Temple\u2014the first Temple\u2014was majestic and magnificent, but it was destroyed when the people of Israel were taken captive by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E.
\nThe books of Ezra, Haggai, Zechariah, and Nehemiah recount the building of the Second Temple, after the Jewish people returned from exile in Babylon. This Temple, built under Ezra\u2019s leadership, was dedicated approximately 450 years before Messiah. Within a few centuries, this Temple was profaned and desecrated by God\u2019s enemies. The dedication after the desecration gave rise to the holiday we now call Hanukkah, which means \u201cdedication.\u201d
\nFirst and Second Maccabees (apocryphal books), Josephus in his Antiquites, and The Talmud (tractate Shabbat 21b), tell the story of this holiday. Also, Daniel 8 records the prophet\u2019s vision of the future, a vision that precisely foretells the events of Hanukkah.<\/p>\n
What is the history of Hanukkah?<\/p>\n
History records that Alexander the Great conquered most of the known world several centuries before Messiah\u2019s birth. After Alexander died, his kingdom was divided between his four generals. The Syrian-Greeks (the Seleucids) and the Egyptian-Greeks (the Ptolomies), two of the four kingdoms, often battled each other over Israel. Ultimately, the Syrian-Greeks won. When their ruler died, a man named Antiochus took over his kingdom, which contained what Daniel calls \u201cthe Beautiful Land\u201d\u2014Israel.
\nIn order to subjugate the Jews, Antiochus, who called himself Epiphanes, meaning \u201cGod manifest,\u201d began to outlaw Jewish customs and observances such as Sabbath, circumcision, and kosher laws. He reasoned that if he could get the Jews to give up their \u201cstrange\u201d ways, he could homogenize his country and better control it. He didn\u2019t want any religious practices except the Greek (Hellenistic) ways.
\nHe continued to Hellenize the Hebrews. He destroyed Torah scrolls, placed heathen altars everywhere, made Jews bow down before Greek gods, placed a statue of Jupiter in the Temple, and finally sacrificed a pig in the Holy of Holies. That was the last straw.
\nFirst Maccabees states, \u201cNow the fifteenth day of the month [Kislev\u2014November\/ December], in the hundred forty and fifth year, they [the Syrian-Greeks] set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side\u201d (1:54). This was the pagan Saturnalia ceremony, in which a pig was sacrificed in the Holy of Holies, the place of God\u2019s Presence.
\nIn the small town of Modin, a man went to sacrifice to the heathen gods according to the law of the land. Mattathias, a righteous priest of Israel, a descendent of Moses\u2019 brother Aaron, an observant man of God, could not take it any longer. Just as Pinchas (Phineas) had done a millennium before him, when unholiness was being foisted upon Israel (Num. 25:6\u20139), Mattathias rose up and killed the Jew who was sacrificing to the gods of Greece.
\nHe knew that this would begin the revolt, and shouted, \u201cLet all who are zealous for the Law [and the Lord] follow me!\u201d Mattathias and his sons, led by Judah, mustered enough forces to eventually overthrow the Syrian-Greeks. All the sons of Mattathias joined together, as well as many other zealous Jews willing to wage guerrilla warfare until the Syrian-Greeks were overthrown. Judah and his brothers were called \u201cMaccabees.\u201d In Hebrew, Maccabee means \u201chammer,\u201d an apt description of their guerilla tactics. Thus began the Maccabean revolt.
\nAfter a three-year struggle, ending in 165 B.C.E., the Temple was recaptured, restored, and rededicated. Hanukkah commemorates and celebrates the re-dedication of the Holy Temple, so despicably desecrated by Antiochus and his Syrian-Greek legions.
\nYou can imagine, then, that this day has been observed with great joy by Jewish people. Not only does it recall the rescue of the Jews, it remembers the day when God was victorious over heathen Hellenism.
\nThe dedication sacrifice, after the Temple was recaptured, repaired, and rededicated, occurred on the same day as the desecration:<\/p>\n
Now upon the same day that the strangers profaned the temple, on the very same day it was cleansed again, even the five and twentieth day of the month which is Kislev. And they kept eight days with gladness, as in the Feast of Tabernacles (2 Maccabees 10:5\u20136).<\/p>\n
Interestingly, 25 Kislev was also the day the \u201cfoundation of Adonai\u2019s temple was laid\u201d (Hag. 2:18).
\nTradition teaches that when the Temple was restored, only one vial of oil had the seal of the High Priest on it, indicating that it could be used in the Temple menorah, the candelabra. But the one day\u2019s worth of sacred oil miraculously lasted for eight days, long enough for more oil to be prepared, so that the Temple could be ritually purified.
\nYeshua the Messiah caused two loaves of bread and a few fish to feed thousands. Miracles occur. If God, then, was trying to communicate his pleasure regarding the restoration of his house, he very well might have caused this miracle to happen.<\/p>\n
Hanukkah in the book of Daniel???<\/p>\n
The prophet Daniel was the first to describe Hanukkah, although not by name. He foresaw the events leading up to the military victory celebrated at this time of the year. This is recorded in Daniel 8.
\nHe had a vision of animals\u2014rams and goats. He saw horns\u2014big ones and little ones. He saw stars. He saw armies. He saw the future. God wanted him to know what was coming in the Land of Israel. God wanted his people to have the confidence to stand up for him. The prophecy was given for a purpose\u2014to encourage the people.
\nFirst, Daniel saw a ram with two horns (vv. 3\u20134). One of these horns was longer than the other, arising later; this horn would conquer the known world. History shows that the nation referred to, Media-Persia, did indeed conquer the world. Media came first; later Persia dominated and ruled the known world from Egypt to India. This is the interpretation offered by the angel Gabriel (v. 20).
\nThen Daniel saw a picture of a male goat from the west with a prominent horn between its eyes (vv. 5\u20137). This goat would roam the whole earth, not touching the ground. It would destroy the horns of the ram mentioned in vv. 3 and 4, and the ram itself. Horns represented power in ancient days.
\nAlexander the Great\u2019s quick conquest of the world is pictured in vv. 5\u20137. He would rapidly destroy Media and Persia, and rule enormous amounts of territory. Verse 21 mentions Gabriel\u2019s interpretation\u2014this goat was the king of Greece\u2014Alexander!
\nNext in Daniel\u2019s vision (v. 8) came four horns that replaced the horn of Alexander, just at the height of his power. These four horns would spread out toward the four winds of heaven, but would not be as powerful as Alexander.
\nAs said previously, when Alexander the Great died, his territory was distributed among his four leading generals\u2014Ptolemy in Egypt, Cassander in Macedonia and Greece, Lysimachus in Asia Minor, and Seleucus in Israel. None of the successors had the power of Alexander. This is precisely the interpretation given by Gabriel in v. 22, albeit without using their names.
\nDaniel\u2019s vision concludes. A small horn, then, would arise from one of the four horns and grow exceedingly great (vv. 9\u201312). Daniel observes that the small horn grew toward the south, the east, and the Beautiful Land. It grew toward the army of heaven, causing some of the army and stars to fall. This \u201clittle horn\u201d claimed equality with the commander of the army (God), and removed the sacrifice from the commander, throwing down the commander\u2019s sanctuary, stopping the regular sacrifice. The little horn even \u201cflung truth on the ground\u201d (v. 12).
\nVerse 23 describes how this \u201clittle horn\u201d would act. Not only would he claim to be God, precisely what Antiochus did when he gave himself the title Epiphanes, but he would be \u201cskilled in intrigue.\u201d In fact, he would be \u201camazingly destructive, and he will destroy the mighty and the holy ones\u201d [here referring to the Israelites]. He will succeed through craftiness and deceit, become swelled with pride, and destroy many people just when they feel the most secure. He will even challenge the prince of princes [Messiah]; but without human intervention, he will be broken\u201d (vv. 24\u201325). This is what Antiochus did as he took over the kingdom containing the Beautiful Land.
\nThis is the story of Hanukkah, recorded in the Book of Daniel.<\/p>\n
How is Hanukkah celebrated?<\/p>\n
Now we\u2019ll tell you some ways our family celebrates this holiday. It\u2019s one of our favorites, as it is for most Jews. You\u2019ll see why.<\/p>\n
The Hanukkiyah
\n(Hah-noo-kee-ah)<\/p>\n
The central symbol of Hanukkah is the hanukkiyah, a nine-branched version of the menorah. The menorah was the seven-branch candelabra that shed light in the otherwise dark Tabernacle and later the Temple. The Hanukkah menorah, the hanukkiyah, is nine-branched, in order to remember the 8-day miracle. (An additional candle is used to light the other eight.)
\nInitially, people celebrated Hanukkah by bringing palm branches to Jerusalem, as they did on Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. This was an ancient custom, the same used by the masses when Yeshua made his \u201ctriumphal entry\u201d into Jerusalem. Some say that the reason for using palm branches was to recapture the Sukkot celebrations lost during the three-year battle with Antiochus. Whatever the initial purpose, the traditional practice gave way to the lighting of candles. Hanukkah, then, also became known as the Feast of Lights.
\nThere\u2019s no biblically \u201ccorrect\u201d way to light the candles. However, certain customs have developed. As with much in Judaism, there are variations.
\nRabbi Hillel, one of two leading rabbis around Yeshua\u2019s time on earth, would begin the first night of Hanukkah lighting just one candle and adding a candle each night until there were nine candles blazing. Rabbi Shammai, the other leading rabbi, began with the hanukkiyah filled and lit. He then removed a candle every night for the eight nights of Hanukkah.
\nSince Shammai was more strict concerning other things of Jewish law, my family, and most Jews today, follow the school of Hillel. You might find it interesting that Hillel\u2019s teachings were quite similar to Messiah\u2019s teaching.<\/p>\n
The shammash<\/p>\n
Earlier, I mentioned that the hanukkiyah, unlike a traditional, seven-branch menorah, has nine candles. The ninth candle is set apart from the rest of the candles, usually higher. It\u2019s used to light the other candles, which is why it\u2019s called shammash, a Hebrew word meaning \u201cservant.\u201d
\nMy family sees in this a picture of Yeshua the Messiah. He was \u201cset apart\u201d from the rest of humanity. He was holy, separate, above us all. Yet, he stooped down to give light to humankind, and as the servant, he continually desires to give us light if we will only hold out our wicks to be lit. Yeshua is the light of the world.
\nHanukkah is a time to say to Messiah the servant, \u201cLight my light.\u201d The Torah, the written word of God, is a light to our paths; Yeshua, the living Torah, is the same. But we need to \u201cdedicate\u201d ourselves to following his ways. That will make our celebration of Hanukkah all the more meaningful, whether Jewish or Christian.<\/p>\n
We light the candles<\/p>\n
Just after sundown, the evening before the first full day of Hanukkah, we face the menorah and light the candle on the far right first. I add candles each night, from right to left, and, lighting the shammash first, light the rest of the candles from left to right. We are careful not to use the light from the hanukkiyah for utilitarian purposes. The light is only to remind us of God\u2019s victory over paganism.
\nThe great Jewish scholar (also a follower of Yeshua) Dr. Alfred Edersheim wrote that the Talmud says the light should be placed at the entrance of the home or room or maybe near a window. The hanukkiyah then testifies to God\u2019s faithfulness.
\nEven though on all other holidays the women light the candles, on Hanukkah the man or head of the house is to light the candles. The following prayers are recited as the candles are lit:<\/p>\n
\u05d1\u05b8\u05bc\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4, \u05d9\u05b0\u05d9\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc, \u05de\u05b6\u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd, \u05d0\u05b2\u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e8 \u05e7\u05b4\u05d3\u05b0\u05bc\u05e9\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d1\u05b0\u05bc\u05de\u05b4\u05e6\u05b0\u05d5\u05b9\u05ea\u05b8\u05d9\u05d5 \u05d5\u05b0\u05e6\u05b4\u05d5\u05b8\u05bc\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05dc\u05b0\u05d4\u05b7\u05d3\u05b0\u05dc\u05b4\u05d9\u05e7 \u05e0\u05b5\u05e8 \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05dc \u05d7\u05b2\u05e0\u05bb\u05db\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4.<\/p>\n
Barukh atah ADONAI, Eloheynu melekh ha\u2018olam, asher kidshanu b\u2019mitzvotav v\u2019tzivanu l\u2019hadlik neyr shel Chanukkah.<\/p>\n
Blessed are you, LORD our God, king of the universe, who sets us apart by his commandments and commanded us to light the lights of Hanukkah.<\/p>\n
\u05d1\u05b8\u05bc\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4, \u05d9\u05b0\u05d9\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc, \u05de\u05b6\u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd, \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05e2\u05b8\u05e9\u05b8\u05c2\u05d4 \u05e0\u05b4\u05e1\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05dd \u05dc\u05b7\u05d0\u05b2\u05d1\u05d5\u0307\u05ea\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05d9\u05b8\u05bc\u05de\u05b4\u05d9\u05dd \u05d4\u05b8\u05d4\u05b5\u05dd \u05d1\u05b7\u05bc\u05d6\u05b0\u05de\u05b7\u05df \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05b6\u05bc\u05d4.<\/p>\n
Barukh atah ADONAI, Eloheynu melekh ha\u2018olam, she\u2018asah nisim l\u2019avoteynu bayamim hahem bazman hazeh.<\/p>\n
Blessed are you, Lord our God, king of the universe, who has performed miracles for our fathers in those days, at this time.<\/p>\n
On the first night the following prayer is added:<\/p>\n
\u05d1\u05b8\u05bc\u05e8\u05d5\u05bc\u05da\u05b0 \u05d0\u05b7\u05ea\u05b8\u05bc\u05d4, \u05d9\u05b0\u05d9\u05b8 \u05d0\u05b1\u05dc\u05b9\u05d4\u05b5\u05d9\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc, \u05de\u05b6\u05dc\u05b6\u05da\u05b0 \u05d4\u05b8\u05e2\u05d5\u05b9\u05dc\u05b8\u05dd, \u05e9\u05b6\u05c1\u05d4\u05b6\u05d7\u05b1\u05d9\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05b0\u05e7\u05b4\u05d9\u05bc\u05de\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05d5\u05b0\u05d4\u05b4\u05d2\u05b4\u05bc\u05d9\u05e2\u05b8\u05e0\u05d5\u05bc \u05dc\u05b7\u05d6\u05b0\u05bc\u05de\u05b7\u05df \u05d4\u05b7\u05d6\u05b6\u05bc\u05d4.<\/p>\n
Barukh atah ADONAI, Eloheynu melekh ha\u2018olam, shehecheyanu, v\u2019kiy\u2019manu, v\u2019higi\u2018anu lazman hazeh.<\/p>\n
Blessed are you, LORD our God, king of the universe, who has kept us alive and sustained us and enabled us to reach this season.<\/p>\n
Once the candles are lit, it\u2019s time to eat, sing, and play\u2014in a word, celebrate!<\/p>\n
Conclusion<\/p>\n
The meaning of the word is a lesson in commitment<\/p>\n
When, as individuals, we began our relationship with God, we learned that we must focus on God. Yeshua said, \u201cGo in through the narrow gate; for the gate that leads to destruction is wide and the road broad, and many travel it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it\u201d (Matt. 7:13\u201314). So from the start we knew we needed to narrow, focus, dedicate ourselves to God.
\nThe Israelites had to struggle and sacrifice to be dedicated to God. They had to fight and stand for his Word. To follow the Lord means to fight the good fight, as Rav Sha\u2019ul (Rabbi Saul, the Apostle Paul) said. To be dedicated to God means to destroy that which would take us away from him and embrace that which draws us close to him.
\nSo then the meaning of the word Hanukkah reminds us that we must be dedicated to, focused on, and narrowed toward our father in heaven.<\/p>\n
My little d\u2019rash (commentary)<\/p>\n
Hanukkah is closely connected with the Temple of God. Yeshua\u2019s followers are called the Temple of the spirit of God. Rav Sha\u2019ul compared believers to the Temple of God in several places.
\nWith regard to the preciousness of his people, he wrote,<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t you know that you people are God\u2019s temple and that God\u2019s Spirit lives in you? So if anyone destroys God\u2019s temple, God will destroy him. For God\u2019s temple is holy, and you yourselves are that temple (1 Cor. 3:16, 17).<\/p>\n
With regard to sexual immorality, Sha\u2019ul said,<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t you know that your body is a temple for the Ruach HaKodesh who lives inside you, whom you received from God? The fact is, you don\u2019t belong to yourselves; for you were bought at a price. So use your bodies to glorify God (1 Cor. 6:19).<\/p>\n
With regard to being yoked together with unbelievers, Paul preached,<\/p>\n
What agreement can there be between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God (2 Cor. 6:16).<\/p>\n
With regard to Gentiles becoming fellow-citizens with God\u2019s chosen people, the great emissary to the Gentiles wrote,<\/p>\n
You have built on the foundation of the emissaries and prophets, with the cornerstone being Yeshua the Messiah himself. In union with him the whole building is held together, and it is growing into a holy temple in union with the Lord. Yes, in union with him, you yourselves are being built together into a spiritual dwelling-place for God! (Eph. 2:21)<\/p>\n
Paul\u2019s message in all these statements was that believers are as holy as the Temple. And since the Temple was to be cleansed and dedicated unto the Lord, so, too, God\u2019s people, Jewish and non-Jewish, need to be dedicated to cleansing our precious temples, both physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
\nAs we observe Hanukkah, let us dedicate our temples to God\u2026 and celebrate God\u2019s protection from his and our enemies. And let us wish each other a VERY happy Hanukkah! Now it\u2019s my family\u2019s turn to share with you about Hanukkah.<\/p>\n
A Word from the Wife
\nSteffi (Yaffa) Rubin<\/p>\n
Growing up in a Jewish neighborhood in the Bronx, December did not mean Christmas\u2014it meant Hanukkah. As days grew shorter and shorter, the welcome brightness of the Festival of Lights cheered us in the gloomy onset of winter. Presents were small (my experience never included the common current practice of giving one gift for each of the eight days), but the excitement of bringing out and polishing the Hanukkah menorah was great.
\nAs an only child, I had the privilege of selecting which of the brightly colored Hanukkah candles would be set into place and lit each day. Sitting with the entire box spread out before me, I would mull over the myriad of choices, deciding whether to go with the random-selection motif, the duotone effect (perhaps yellow and green) or the all-blue or all-magenta look.
\nThe Hanukkah music would spin round on the hi-fi and the smell of latkes (potato pancakes) frying in oil would quickly permeate our small apartment, whose windows were shut tight again the cold Northeast temperatures.
\nIt was the time of the year I would turn over my penny bank in preparation for the high stakes of the annual dreydel competition. Once you mastered the art of spinning the four-sided dreydel and reading the Hebrew letters, this game of chance was finally one that didn\u2019t favor the older or more experienced. Maybe I would win a lot more pennies\u2014or, even better, chocolate Hanukkah gelt (money)!
\nMy husband mentioned oil, the central element in the traditional Hanukkah celebration. The miracle of the oil particularly captured my child\u2019s imagination long before I could fathom how Mattathias and Judah overcame the incredible odds that faced the Maccabees. Long before I took offense at the arrogance of Antiochus. Long before I appreciated the tragedy of the Temple desecration and the faith of my ancestors.
\nFor me, the miracle of the oil was like magic\u2014God\u2019s sleight of hand\u2014the enchantment that accompanies all timeless children\u2019s tales. It was like having only one bright Hanukkah candles one night and finding a whole boxful in the morning!
\nAnd so, in keeping with the story, oil figures prominently in the traditional Hanukkah delicacies: latkes and sufganiyot.<\/p>\n
Latkes (Potato Pancakes)<\/p>\n
You know you\u2019ve hit middle age when all your opening paragraphs begin with recollections! Nevertheless\u2026 in the days before food processors it was almost a Hanukkah commandment that knuckles had to be grated in the course of grating the peeled potatoes for your potato latkes. My husband\u2019s family seemed to have shared this experience and whenever we bring up the subject of latkes, the notion is once more corroborated. But since the introduction of the food processor, many have exchanged this tradition for the ease of grating their potatoes electronically. The choice is yours. I might suggest that in order to keep the chain unbroken, you might try a batch of latkes the old-fashioned way, using a hand grater (an appliance which is aptly named!) just to get the full flavor of the latke experience.
\nOne word more on the subject of oil and Hanukkah: you can always diet after New Years, so heat up the frying pan and let her rip! However, if you are about to keel over from clogged arteries, there is a special dispensation for baking latkes instead of frying\u2014but don\u2019t leave out the oil altogether; it\u2019s the whole idea!<\/p>\n
Latkes
\n3 cups of raw, grated potatoes
\n1 small grated onion
\n2 eggs, lightly beaten
\n1 tsp salt (to taste)
\n1 heaping tbsp of flour or matzah meal
\n1\/4 tsp baking soda
\n1\/8 tsp pepper (to taste)<\/p>\n
oil for frying
\nsour cream or apple sauce<\/p>\n
Peel and grate (by hand or by food processor) the potatoes and onion, squeezing out as much of the liquid as you can. Add the remaining ingredients in the first group.
\nHeat the oil in a frying pan, about 1\/4\u201d in depth. When hot, drop the latke mixture into the oil to fry. Note: the size of latkes vary quite a bit\u2014from ones that look like gezunteh (healthy-sized) burgers, to those that look like the silver-dollar size pancakes you get at a diner. This will ultimately be up to you. If the latkes are served as a kind of dessert or side-dish, the little ones may work best. But if you regard them as the main dish, the burger-size might make more sense.
\nFry them until they are crispy on the outside and cooked on the inside. Then place them on paper towels to absorb the extra oil. As to the yield, this will depend on the size of the latkes\u2014anywhere from 8 large to 24 small ones. They can be served immediately (this is best\u2014nice and hot and crispy) or stored and served later (definitely less desirable but sometimes necessary).
\nOn sour cream vs. apple sauce: This is one of those preference things. I\u2019m partial to sour cream; my husband\u2019s family preferred apple sauce. My suggestion? Try them both, then decide!<\/p>\n
What in the world are Sufganiyot?<\/p>\n
Here is one custom that was not part of my childhood, but is important to include. Whereas potato latkes are the mainstay of Jews that came from Eastern Europe and are, therefore, big with American Jews, Israeli Jews don\u2019t do latkes. They do sufganiyot\u2014jelly donuts. Ah! I can hear your brains whirring and yes, you have probably already realized that donuts are the Middle East fried-in-oil Hanukkah alternative.
\nI generally am not much of a donut fan, but a holiday is a holiday. You can pick them up at your local Dunkin\u2019 Donuts or make your own. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n
Sufganiyot
\n1\/2 cup margarine
\n1 cup flour
\n1 tbsp sugar
\n4 eggs
\n2 qt vegetable oil for frying (no, this is not a typo: these babies go through oil quicker than an old car!)
\n12 oz fruit preserves (flavor of your choice!)
\n1\/4 cup confectioners\u2019 sugar<\/p>\n
Place margarine and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Stir in flour and sugar. Cook, stirring vigorously, just until mixture forms a ball. Remove from heat. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir until smooth and well-blended.
\nHeat oil in a medium saucepan over high heat until it\u2019s ready for frying. While making the pastries, adjust the heat to maintain the temperature. Carefully drop batter by slightly rounded tablespoonfuls into hot oil. Fry until puffed and golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes.
\nRemove them from the oil and drain on paper towels; then place them on wire racks to cool.
\nFill a pastry bag, fitted with a filling tip, with preserves. Insert tip into each doughnut and squeeze about 1\/2 tablespoon of filling into each. Dust with confectioners\u2019 sugar and serve. Sufganiyot do not store well, so they are best eaten the day they are made. The recipe yields 24 sufganiyot.<\/p>\n
Hanukkah Music
\nRebecca (Rivkah) Rubin<\/p>\n
What would a Jewish holiday be without music? Dull, bland, ho-hum, boring! Hanukkah, like just about every other holiday, has many songs associated with it. Music gives character to our celebration; it adds to our joy! We have read the Hanukkah story; our minds understand what we are commemorating. But the music helps our hearts really get in the mood to rejoice.
\nSome of our favorite songs are on the following pages. \u201cMa\u2019oz Tzur\u201d is a rousing hymn of God\u2019s deliverance. It is a traditional part of the Hanukkah liturgy, recited by our people through the ages to remember his saving power. In addition to the traditional lyrics, we have added a verse to express our thanks for our eternal deliverance through Messiah Yeshua.
\n\u201cThe First Night of Hanukkah\u201d works well by itself at candle-lighting time or along with the \u201cLiving Hanukkah Menorah\u201d presentation. This skit, which you will find on page 19, is a fun way for children to participate in the Hanukkah celebration. They can learn about the Maccabees, and they will have their own part to contribute to the festivities! Really, with the room lights out, it is a beautiful sight.
\n\u201cHanukkah, O Hanukkah\u201d is a fun song which describes the warmth and laughter in the home during the holiday, as well as the Hanukkah customs, such as playing with dreydels (see page 17), watching the light of the Hanukkah candles, and eating fresh, hot, delicious latkes. This song also has a \u201cMessianic\u201d verse.
\nAll these songs help make the festival enjoyable for adults and accessible for children. Some of my earliest memories involve being part of the \u201cLiving Hanukkah Menorah,\u201d and participating in the music that is an essential part of the Hanukkah celebration. These songs help to preserve the memory of this beautiful time and to keep it with us throughout the year.
\nSo enjoy the music which makes this holiday complete!<\/p>\n
Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages)<\/p>\n
Rock of ages, let our song praise thy saving power.
\nThou, amidst a raging foe, wast our shelt\u2019ring tower.
\nFurious, they assailed us, but thine arm availed us.
\nAnd thy word broke their sword
\nwhen our own strength failed us.
\nAnd thy word broke their sword
\nwhen our own strength failed us.<\/p>\n
Rock of ages, stumbling stone, whom the builders rejected.
\nYou\u2019ve become the cornerstone whom the Lord has selected.
\nLift your voice and praise him! Worship God, who raised him!
\nShine his light through the night, till the day we gaze at him. (Repeat last line)<\/p>\n
The First Night of Hanukkah<\/p>\n
Other verses: It\u2019s the second night \u2026 It\u2019s the third night \u2026 etc.<\/p>\n
Hanukkah, O Hanukkah<\/p>\n
Hanukkah, O Hanukkah, a time for reflection.
\nGather \u2019round the burning lights and give your attention
\nTo the one who is the light of the world.
\nGive it to Messiah, the light of the world.<\/p>\n
And while we are praying to God, our Father and King,
\nHis light will shine through our hearts to a world
\nThat is longing for love he can bring.
\nHis light will shine through our hearts to a world
\nThat is longing for love he can bring.<\/p>\n
The Game of Dreydel
\nShira Rubin<\/p>\n
Since Hanukkah is a celebration, it is important to have something special for the children to make it fun. Somewhere along the line the game of dreydel was invented for just this purpose. It is a fun game for all ages and it reminds us of the miracle of Hanukkah.
\nBegin by gathering together a group of your family and friends for this enjoyable Hanukkah game. Each person can bring his or her own favorite dreydel, or there can be just one that everyone uses to play the game.
\nEach person should start out with a good number of pieces of Hanukkah gelt (chocolate candy wrapped in gold foil, imitating the look of coins) or some other appropriate type of \u201ccoin\u201d\u2014pennies, raisins, nuts, bingo chips, or marbles. Every one begins by putting one piece into the \u201cpot\u201d in the middle of the circle of players.
\nPlay begins with the youngest player in the circle; the others take turns going clockwise. (Being the youngest in our family, I always appreciated this rule.) Every person spins the dreydel when it is his or her turn. Spin the dreydel and watch to see which side faces up when the dreydel lands. The outcome of this spin will tell you what to do.
\nThe dreydel is a four-sided top. Each side has a Hebrew letter. The four Hebrew letters on the dreydel are \u05e0 (nun), \u05d2 (gimel), \u05d4 (hay), and \u05e9 (shin). The letters stand for the four Hebrew words in the sentence ness gadol hayah sham, which translates, \u201ca great miracle happened there,\u201d which is a reminder of what the holiday is all about.
\nWhen you spin the dreydel it will land on one of these letters. Here is what happens when it lands on each one:<\/p>\n
\u2022 If the dreydel lands on the \u05e0 (nun)\u2014nothing happens; play continues with the next person.
\n\u2022 If the dreydel lands on the \u05d2 (gimel)\u2014the person spinning takes the entire pot. (After this happens, every player puts another piece into the pot to replenish it.)
\n\u2022 If the dreydel lands on the \u05d4 (hay)\u2014the person takes half of the pot. (If the pot is uneven, you take the smaller half.)
\n\u2022 If the dreydel lands on the \u05e9 (shin)\u2014you must put one of your pieces in the pot.<\/p>\n
Many people use helpful little phrases to remember these rules, such as:<\/p>\n
\u201cNun, nun, nothing\u2019s won.\u201d
\n\u201cGimel, gimel, get it all.\u201d
\n\u201cHay, hay, take half away.\u201d
\n\u201cShin, shin, put one in.\u201d<\/p>\n
A great miracle happened\u2026 where?<\/p>\n
Dreydels from Israel have one different letter on them than dreydels from other nations. There is no shin on the Israeli dreydel\u2014can you think of why? Remember the phrase that the four letters stood for, \u201ca great miracle happened there\u201d? The shin stood for the word \u201cthere.\u201d Of course, if you are in Israel the great miracle didn\u2019t happen \u201cthere\u201d but \u201chere.\u201d So, instead of a shin there is peh, which stands for the Hebrew word \u201cpo,\u201d meaning \u201chere.\u201d Israeli dreydels declare \u201ca great miracle happened here,\u201d because it happened in Israel. The letter peh has the same instructions in the dreydel game as does the letter shin. It is easy to remember to \u201cpay\u201d when your dreydel lands on peh.<\/p>\n
More fun and Games
\nSomething for the Congregations
\nSteffi (Yaffa) Rubin<\/p>\n
Congregations are the perfect places for production and pageantry. People enjoy participating in plays\u2014especially children. It is so important to make holiday memories that will encourage our children to remember these important festivals and celebrations. This program can involve even the youngest of children and can be adapted according to your needs. The accompanying song can be found on page 15.
\nWe have also included a poem that children can learn about Hanukkah. We used it with our Kindergarten-First Grade class. Each child learned a verse and recited it.
\nWe made up a Hanukkah \u201cMadlibs,\u201d also included (rules are on page 25).
\nFinally, there are some Hanukkah card designs for the little ones to color.
\nSo enjoy! Holidays are supposed to be fun!<\/p>\n
The Living Hanukkah Menorah<\/p>\n
A Children\u2019s Program for Congregations<\/p>\n
(Line up nine children across the front of the platform; put the tallest child in the middle\u2014he or she is the shammash; the rest of the children will be numbered 1,2, etc., looking from the audience, starting from the left. Each child holds a flashlight with some red crepe paper twisted up in the shape of aflame taped over the light. As they begin, the middle child turns on his flashlight.)<\/p>\n
Middle child (shammash):
\nI am the shammash, the servant candle. I stand tallest of all the candles. Like the Messiah, who was the greatest of all, I bow down to share my light with others. Yeshua said he who would be greatest in God\u2019s kingdom must humble himself and be the servant of all.<\/p>\n
All sing: It\u2019s the first night of Hanukkah, come light one light.
\nLet the light of God\u2019s love burn so bright;
\nIt\u2019s the first night of Hanukkah, a very special time.<\/p>\n
(During the song the shammash child walks over to child 1 and \u201clights\u201d that child\u2019s light. That is, child 1 turns on his own flashlight. It stays on.)<\/p>\n
Child 1:
\nI am the first candle. One stands for the one little jar of holy oil that the Maccabees found when they recaptured the Temple in Jerusalem. One small jar\u2014with enough oil to burn in the Temple menorah for just one day. And yet, through a miracle of God, the oil burned on and on for eight days.<\/p>\n
All sing: It\u2019s the second night of Hanukkah, come light 2 lights.
\nLet the light of God\u2019s love burn so bright;
\nIt\u2019s the second night of Hanukkah, a very special time.<\/p>\n
(During the song the shammash child walks over to child 2 and \u201clights\u201d that child\u2019s light. It stays on.)<\/p>\n
Child 2:
\nI am the second candle. Two stands for the two leaders of the Jewish revolt against the cruel ruler Antiochus. Mattathias and his son Judah refused to allow the evil king to destroy the Jewish people by destroying Jewish practices and worship. They stood against him and with God\u2019s help overcame the enemies of the Jewish people.<\/p>\n
All sing: It\u2019s the third night of Hanukkah, come light 3 lights.
\nLet the light of God\u2019s love burn so bright;
\nIt\u2019s the third night of Hanukkah, a very special time.<\/p>\n
(During the song the shammash child walks over to child 3 and \u201clights\u201d that child\u2019s light. It stays on.)<\/p>\n
Child 3:
\nI am the third candle. Three stands for the three years of struggle that it took to v overcome Antiochus and his evil rule. The Maccabees fought for three long, hard years until the Temple was recaptured and the Jewish people were allowed to worship once again, according to the ways of God.<\/p>\n
All sing: It\u2019s the fourth night of Hanukkah, come light 4 lights.
\nLet the light of God\u2019s love burn so bright;
\nIt\u2019s the fourth night of Hanukkah, a very special time.<\/p>\n
(During the song the shammash child walks over to child 4 and \u201clights\u201d that child\u2019s light. It stays on.)<\/p>\n
Child 4:
\nI am the fourth candle. Four stands for the number of letters on the dreydel. The letters, Nun, Gimmel, Hay and Shin stand for \u201cNess Gadol Hayah Sham,\u201d a great miracle happened there. These letters remind us of the miracle of the oil that God performed during the days of the Maccabees.<\/p>\n
All sing: It\u2019s the fifth night of Hanukkah, come light 5 lights.
\nLet the light of God\u2019s love burn so bright;
\nIt\u2019s the fifth night of Hanukkah, a very special time.<\/p>\n
(During the song the shammash child walks over to child 5 and \u201clights\u201d that child\u2019s light. It stays on.)<\/p>\n
Child 5:
\nI am the fifth candle. Five is the number of Mattathias\u2019 sons, the Maccabees. They were called Maccabees, which means \u201chammers.\u201d Because they were so outnumbered by the king\u2019s army, the Maccabees would hide in the hills and pounce down on the enemies like hammers. These surprise attacks proved to be a very good strategy.<\/p>\n
All sing: It\u2019s the sixth night of Hanukkah, come light 6 lights.
\nLet the light of God\u2019s love burn so bright;
\nIt\u2019s the sixth night of Hanukkah, a very special time.<\/p>\n
(During the song the shammash child walks over to child 6 and \u201clights\u201d that child\u2019s light. It stays on.)<\/p>\n
Child 6:
\nI am the sixth candle. Six stands for the six \u201challel\u201d psalms that are read during Hanukkah. They are Psalm 113 through Psalm 118. \u201cPraise ADONAI, you nations! Worship him, all you peoples! For his grace toward us is great, and ADONAI\u2019s truth continues forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
All sing: It\u2019s the seventh night of Hanukkah, come light 7 lights.
\nLet the light of God\u2019s love burn so bright;
\nIt\u2019s the seventh night of Hanukkah, a very special time.<\/p>\n
(During the song the shammash child walks over to child 7 and \u201clights\u201d that child\u2019s light. It stays on.)<\/p>\n
Child 7:
\nI am the seventh candle. There were seven branches of the menorah in the Temple. In the Bible seven is an important number. It stands for God. It stands for God\u2019s holy day, the Sabbath. Some believe that the seven branches of the menorah also represent the seven days of creation.<\/p>\n
All sing: It\u2019s the last night of Hanukkah, come light 8 lights.
\nLet the light of God\u2019s love burn so bright;
\nIt\u2019s the last night of Hanukkah, a very special time.<\/p>\n
(During the song the shammash child walks over to child 8 and \u201clights\u201d that child\u2019s light. It stays on.)<\/p>\n
Child 8:
\nI am the eighth and last candle. Eight stands for the eight days of Hanukkah. Eight miraculous days when the little jar of oil, the one with just enough to last for one day, burned and burned for eight full days, long enough for the priests to prepare new holy oil. We celebrate Hanukkah for eight days and nights, and we rejoice over God\u2019s continuing faithfulness to his people.<\/p>\n
Note: If you want to use small children for the menorah, you can have the children merely say \u201cI am the first candle\u201d etc., and use an older child or adult for the narration.<\/p>\n
Nun Gimmel Hay and Shin<\/p>\n
Nun, gimmel, hay and shin
\nTell me now, what does that mean?
\nA great miracle happened there,
\nMany years ago.<\/p>\n
Take your dreydel, make it spin
\nTell the story, let\u2019s begin
\nWe can tell the story
\nAs we watch the candles glow.<\/p>\n
Nun stands for NESS, which means
\nA MIRACLE, a special thing
\nThat God did for the Maccabees
\nTo make their oil last long<\/p>\n
And gimmel is for GREAT, GADOL
\nThe miracle that burned the oil
\nThat lasted for eight nights
\nThough there was just enough for one.<\/p>\n
Hay is HAYAH, it\u2019s for real
\nIt isn\u2019t just a made-up shpiel
\nIt HAPPENED through God\u2019s faithful power
\nTo bless his Temple light.<\/p>\n
And Shin is SHAM, that special place
\nCalled Israel, God\u2019s land of grace
\nThe great miracle that happened there
\nWe celebrate tonight.<\/p>\n
So each time that a dreydel whirls
\nTo please a little boy or girl
\nWe understand the message that
\nIt teaches as we play.<\/p>\n
Hanukkah Madlibs<\/p>\n
Hanukkah is the Festival of ___________ (plural noun) or the Feast of Dedication. The Hebrew word Hanukkah means ___________ (noun). The holiday begins on the eve of the ______th (number) day of the Hebrew month of ___________ (foreign word) which corresponds approximately to the standard calendar month of ____________ (month). Hanukkah lasts for ______(number) days. During Hanukkah, ____________ (plural noun) are exchanged among family and friends. Each evening as the ____________ (noun) goes down one candle is lighted in a special nine-branched candle-holder called a ____________ (noun) or ____________ (noun). Beginning on the second night one candle is added every night until the total reaches ________ (number) on the last night. The candles are lighted by a separate candle called the ____________ (noun) or servant candle. The two books of Maccabees were written between the times of the ____________ and ____________ (opposites) Testaments. These books tell the story of Hanukkah. The word Maccabee means \u201c____________\u201d (noun) and it was the nickname given to the Jewish army. In the year 165 B.C.E., after a struggle of _______ (number) ____________ (period of time) led by two Jews named ____________ (person\u2019s name) and his son ____________ (person\u2019s name), the Maccabees in Judea defeated Syrian tyrant ____________ (person\u2019s name) the ________th (number). This ______________ (adjective) king had defiled God\u2019s Temple by setting up idols and by sacrificing a ____________ (animal) on the altar, which was not very kosher. When the ____________ (plural noun) had defeated the ____________ (adjective) king, they held festivities in ____________ (city), and dedicated the ____________ (noun) to God. According to tradition, the Maccabees entered the Temple to __________ (verb) it, but found only one small cruse of oil with which to light the Temple ____________ (noun). ____________ (adverb), the cruse provided them with oil for _________ (number) days. That is why we light the ____________ (noun), play ____________(plural noun), sing ____________ (plural noun), and give ____________ (plural noun) __ to celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah.<\/p>\n
Hanukkah Madlibs<\/p>\n
(These are the \u201ccorrect\u201d answers to the madilbs to the left.)<\/p>\n
Hanukkah is the Festival of Lights or the Feast of Dedication. The Hebrew word Hanukkah means dedication. The holiday begins of the eve of the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev, which corresponds approximately to the standard calendar month of December. Hanukkah lasts for eight days.<\/p>\n
During Hanukkah, gifts are exchanged among family and friends. Each evening as the sun goes down one candle is lighted in a special nine-branched candleholder called a Menorah or Hanukkiah. Beginning on the second night one candle is added every night until the total reaches eight on the last night. The candles are lighted by a special, separate candle called the shammash, or servant candle.<\/p>\n
The two books of Maccabees were written between the times of the Old and New Testaments. These books tell the story of Hanukkah. The word Maccabee means \u201chammer\u201d and it was the nickname given to the Jewish army. In the year 165 B.C.E., after a struggle of three years led by two Jews named Mattathias and his son Judah, the Maccabees in Judea defeated Syrian tyrant Antiochus IV. This wicked king had defiled God\u2019s Temple by setting up idols and by sacrificing a pig on the altar, which was not very kosher. When the Maccabees had defeated the wicked king, they held festivities in Jerusalem, and dedicated the Temple to God. According to tradition, the Maccabees entered the Temple to clean it but found only one small cruse of oil with which to light the Temple lamp. Miraculously, the cruse provided them with oil for eight days.<\/p>\n
That is why we light the menorah, play games, sing songs and give gifts\u2014to celebrate the miracle of Hanukkah.<\/p>\n
RULES FOR PLAYING MADLIBS:<\/p>\n
Madlibs is a fun and silly way to enjoy the holiday. Using the page on the left, ask a group of people for the appropriate part of speech; for example, \u201cGive me a plural noun.\u201d They will say something like \u201cslippers!\u201d and you write that in the blank. When all the blanks are filled in, read the story aloud. We guarantee it will be riotous! Then, when all are calm, read the story above and remember the real tale of Hanukkah.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The only place in the Bible that Hanukkah is mentioned by name is John 10:22. Messiah was in the Temple for the \u201cfeast of dedication,\u201d as many translations render the Greek word eng-kai-nia. This Greek word translates the Hebrew hanukkah. Both words convey the idea of \u201cconsecration\u201d or \u201cdedication.\u201d Because Messiah connected with Hanukkah, we … <\/p>\n