hanukkah

Group Time Introduction: Where/Who?
Show where Israel is located on a globe or map in comparison to where the children in your class live. If possible, provide books and pictures of Israeli children and culture. Also explain that some people who celebrate Hanukkah live in other parts of the world too -- not just in one country.

When? Sometime between the end of November and the end of December (for eight nights).

Why? Many many years ago, there was a wicked king who tried to make the people in the country of Israel do as he said. Many of the people did as they were told, but one man named Judah Maccabee refused to do these wrong things. He formed an army to fight for what were the right things to do. It was on the 25th day of the month of Kislev that Judah Maccabee was able to finally be rid of the wicked king. So, Judah and the Israeli people were very happy. To celebrate, they lit a tiny bit of oil in a lamp that miraculously stayed lit for eight days. (Define "miraculously.") (If possible, show children a picture of an oil lamp, or better yet, a real one.) This celebration became known as Hanukkah.

How? Today, families celebrate Hanukkah (sometimes called the Festival of Lights) by giving gifts, lighting special Hanukkah candles (known as a Menorah) for eight nights, playing special games, and eating special foods.

My Favorite Activities:
Ways To Make A Menorah:
Background Information: Looking at the graphic above, see the candle in the middle. This is called the Shamash candle. It is lit first, then it is used to light the other candles. One candle is lit each night for eight nights.

Note: The following Menorah projects are not meant to be creative ones. They are, instead, "following directions" activities with the purpose of teaching a concept (Hanukkah). And the Menorahs will not look like the one above, but simply, they consist of a base with nine candles glued across it, similar to this:
| | | | | | | | |

Construction Paper/Craft Sticks Menorah: Give children a strip of construction paper for gluing to the bottom of another piece of paper. Glue a paper square to the center of the strip where the Shamash candle will be. Children can then glue craft stick candles to the top of the strip of paper (four on each side of the Shamash candle which sits higher than the others). Pre-math Activity: Have children count out their own nine craft sticks from a pile of sticks before doing their activity.
To complete each candle: Children can add glue to the top of each craft stick candle then sprinkle on gold glitter for flames.

Styrofoam Menorahs: Children glue paper flames to the tops of craft stick candles then poke them into a strip of styrofoam. (In advance, glue a square styrofoam block to the center of the strip where the Shamash candle will be.)

Two-Day Project: Paper Towel Tube Menorah: (This is my least favorite way to make a Menorah simply because the activity has flopped for me, but I've seen others do it perfectly.) On day one, have children paint paper towel cardboard tubes. Once dry, and in advance, you (the teacher) cut nine slits across the top of the tubes (make the slits shorter than you think you need so that craft stick candles will fit tightly into them -- I think my mistake is that I tend to make the slits too wide). After children have glued paper flames onto the tops of their craft sticks, have them poke their "candles" into the slits (use a tongue depressor for the Shamash candle since it is larger). The Menorah (the colorful tube with its candles) can then be glued to a firm base of some kind (example: styrofoam).

Extension for any of the above: Children can paint or color their craft sticks before turning them into candles.

Snack Menorah: Children poke pretzel sticks into a stalk of celery filled with peanut butter. A piece of breadstick makes a great Shamash candle for the center.

Hanukkah Gift Wrap: Have children dip Hanukkah cookie cutters into blue paint and make prints on a two-sheet thickness of yellow or white tissue paper.

Favorite Game: Spin the Dreidle:
Background Information: The dreidel has a Hebrew letter on each of its four sides. Combined, they mean "A Great Miracle Happened There" (meaning the miracle of the small amount of oil staying lit in the candle for eight nights). During Hanukkah, a game is played whereby players spin the dreidel and win tokens (usually chocolate coins, nuts, or raisins).

Children are practicing fine motor skills when they spin a dreidle. (It spins like a top.) We used to sing this little song at the same time children took turns spinning the dreidle. Although I know the tune, I'm afraid I don't know how to pass it on to you as it's not the same tune to a song familiar to everyone (at least not one that comes to mind at the moment). But I don't see why you couldn't say the words instead of singing them:

My Favorite Special Hanukkah Food To Make With Children: Latkes:
I have loved latkes from the very first time I tasted one! If you love potatoes or the taste of hash browns, you'll love latkes! There are terrific recipes for making latkes from scratch, but for the preschool classroom, we simply used the "Manischewitz" brand of Potato Pancake Mix in a box (found in the specialty food section of most grocery stores). We very carefully had the children help us cook them in oil (electric skillet), turn them, and check for "browning." My favorite way to eat latkes is, unfortunately, with sour cream

, but dipping them in applesauce is also very delicious (and popular with the kids)!

Favorite Books:
*Beni's First Chanukah, written and illustrated by Jane Breskin Zalben: Beni shares Chanukah with his non-Jewish friends.
*Grandma's Latkes, by Malka Drucker: Molly's grandma tells her the Hanukkah story while they make Latkes together.
*Here is a book suggestion from my friend Andrea Weisinger-Ilardi:
There's a lovely book out called "Light The Lights" by Margaret Moorman. It's about an interfaith child's experiences at the holidays and how her and her family prepare for them. It might be a little wordy for the younger ones, but it could probably be edited down without missing the important points. Any teacher wanting to use this book should probably preview it to determine if it will work for their particular group. I think it's important to know that some children may celebrate more than one holiday.

From Jacob C., Director of Jewish preschool in New York:
Two In One Donut-Latke:
Combine these ingredients for dough: 3 cups flour, 1 egg, 7 oz. water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 to 1 oz. yeast, 3/4 oz. oil, 1¼ oz. sugar. Knead the dough well. Let it rise for 1/2 hour. Cut into circle shapes. Fill halfway with cheese filling. Fold over to form semicircle. Fry. Sprinkle with confectioner sugar. Yields approximately 12 donuts.
Cheese Filling: 1/2 lb. farmer cheese, 1 egg, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla