Hannukah in the United States


Points to Ponder


Why are traditions so powerful in shaping individual behavior?
menorah.jpg
What do people do during Hannukah that is similar to your family and community traditions?

TRADITIONS


"Hanukkah (also known as Chanukah) is the Jewish Festival of Lights and lasts eight days. It usually falls in late November or December.

Jews celebrate Hanukkah to commemorate the Miracle of the Oil. The Hebrew word Hanukkah means "dedication". Over 2000 years ago, in 165 BC, the Jews in Judea rebelled against their Syrian ruler, Antiochus, because he insisted that all Jewish people must worship Greek Gods. After three hard years of fighting, the Jews defeated Antiochus and, to celebrate, they restored the Temple of Jerusalem - which had been taken over by the Syrians - and rededicated it to their God. " Read the rest of this article at
http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/hanukkah_for_kids.htm


Hannukah is a family oriented holiday when Jewish families light the menorah for each of the eight nights. The holiday is in celebration of finding oil Often friends and family are invited for dinner and at sundown they light the menorah, sing, play dreidel games and exchange gifts.
The dinner menu is often brisket, salmon, salad, varied latkes, applesauce, cookies and donuts.

Potato latkes are a favorite for Hannukah celebrations. (Check out links to recipes in the RECIPE section.) Many fried foods are served in commemoration of the oil that burned for eight days, so doughnuts are another favorite.
What else can be fried and will taste good?

Hanukkah music can be found at
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/798174/jewish/Chanukah-Oh-Chanukah.htm



CRAFTS to make for this event

You can find a printout to make a paper dreidel at ID-10065192.jpg
http://www.akhlah.com/holidays/hanukkah/hanukkah_crafts/hankkuah_crafts.php

or try a Macaroni Menorah


by Amber Carvan at
http://kidscraftweekly.com/hanukkah_crafts.html
(Used with permission,)

"This lovely Menorah is made using dried pasta and lentils.

Older children will have no problem creating this on their own.

Younger ones may need an adult to draw the menorah in light pencil before they get started."

You will need

• dry macaroni

• dry lentils

• white glue

• cotton bud

• red crepe paper

• cardboard

Directions

1. Take some small pieces of red crepe paper and roll them
between your fingers until they are thin enough to poke inside
some macaroni. Use this technique to make nine macaroni
candles.

external image menorah1.jpg
3. Using white glue and a cotton bud, paint on the rest
of the menorah and decorate using dry lentils.

external image menorah3.jpg
2. Paste the candles onto the card to make a Menorah.
Use two pieces of mararoni for the shamash.

external image menorah2.jpg
4. Cut out and paste onto contrasting cardboard to
make a card or picture.

external image menorah4.jpg

at http://kidscraftweekly.com/hanukkah_crafts.html

FAMILY FAVORITE FOODS

Latkes = Potato Pancakes
Some people like to grate the potatoes and then fry them in with onions. Other like to make mash potatoes into pancake shapes and then fry them. Either way, they are tasty with sour cream or applesauce spread on top.

Check out the simple recipes at the following sites

http://kosherfood.about.com/od/hanukkah/r/han_latkas_pot.htm
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/potato-pancakes-i/
http://allrecipes.com/video/445/instant-potato-pancakes/detail.aspx?prop24=RR_RelatedVideo

Sufganiot = Jelly Doughtnuts
http://www.food.com/recipe/sufganiot-hanukkah-jelly-doughnuts-15188
http://www.kcet.org/socal/food/the-nosh/frying-up-jelly-donuts-for-hanukkah-the-story-of-sufganiyot.html

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