Food
What is the name of the fried (usually) potato pancakes we traditionally eat on Hanukkah? Bonus: what language does the word come from?
Latkes. The word is Yiddish. Some version of latkes goes back to at least the Middle Ages.
Hanukkah is known as the "festival of" what?
Lights. This phrase, "Festival of Lights," comes from the Jewish historian, Flavius Josephus, who wrote about the Maccabean revolt about two hundred years after it happened in the first century CE.
Is Hanukkah mentioned in the Torah?
No. Hanukkah's history dates back to the 2nd century BCE (before the common era) to the Maccabean revolt. The Torah predates Hanukkah and therefore doesn't mention it. Our knowledge of it comes from Maccabees I and II, books collected in writings known as the Apocrypha.
In the song, "I Have A Little Dreidel," what is the dreidel made out of? Bonus: what language does the word "dreidel" come from?
The dreidel is made of clay.
Bonus: "dreidel" is a Yiddish word.
How many days does Hanukkah last?
What kinds foods do we eat for Hanukkah and why?
We typically eat foods made with or fried in oil. The oil represents the miracle of the oil that lasted not the expected one day, but eight.
What are the four Hebrew letters on the dreidel and what do they stand for? Bonus: what are they in Israel?
"Nun," "gimel," "hey," "shin"- stand for "nes gadol hayah sham" or "a great miracle happened there." In Israel, the "shin" is a "pei" and stands for "po" or "here."
נ, ג, ה, שׁ/ נֵס גָּדוֹל הָיָה שָׁם
נ, ג, ה, פּ/נֵס גָּדוֹל הָיָה פֹּה)
Explain what the "miracle" of Hanukkah is.
There are actually two miraculous stories associated with Hanukkah. One is the (historical) story of a tiny band of Jewish fighters defeating an entire empire for religious freedom. The other is the miracle of a small bit of oil lighting the menorah in the Temple for eight nights instead of just one.
Another traditional Hanukkah song is called "Sevivon, Sov, Son, Sov." What does that mean in English? Bonus: sing some of the song.
"Dreidel (spinning top), spin, spin, spin."
Is Hanukkah considered a major holiday?
No. It's a minor festival. It's one of the few Jewish holidays celebrated almost entirely at home and without a special synagogue service. It only holds a large place in our tradition now because of its proximity to Christmas.
What is the Hebrew word for the doughnuts eaten on Hanukkah?
Sufganiyot (סֻפְגָּנִיוֹת).
What happens when your dreidel lands on the letter "shin"?
You have to put one of whatever you're playing with into the pot.
What was one of the reasons why some Jews revolted against the Greeks?
1) Greek soldiers- order by their ruler- desecrated the Temple, the holiest place for Jews at that time. 2) The ruler of the empire also abolished Judaism, outlawing the observance of Shabbat and the festivals, as well as circumcision. 3) Altars and idols were set up for the worship of Greek gods, offending religious Jews. 4) The Greek ruler offered Jews two options: conversion or death.
Sing the two blessings over the Hanukkah candles.
1.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְי
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ, מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם,
אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָֽׁנוּ בְּמִצְוֺתָיו
וְצִוָּֽנוּ לְהַדְלִיק נֵר שֶׁל חֲנֻכָּה.
2.
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה, יְיָ
אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ, מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם,
שֶׁעָשָׂה נִסִּים לַאֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ וְאִמּוֹתֵֽינוּ
בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה.
What is the main mitzvah of Hanukkah?
Lighting the Hanukkiah and saying the blessings.
What is the traditional type of donut eaten on Hanukkah?
Jelly-filled donuts. This tradition comes from Ashkenazi Jews in Poland. By 1600, jelly donuts, called paczki, were beloved throught Poland on Christmas, Hanukkah and other special occasions. In Yiddish, they were called ponchiks, and fried in schmaltz, goose fat, or oil. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the tradition of jelly donuts traveled with Polish Jews wherever they immigrated. In Israel…ponchiks soon took the name sufganiyah (sufganiyot plural), from a “spongy dough” mentioned in the Talmud, sofgan and sfogga.
People often refer to candelabra we light on Hanukkah as a "menorah." What is it really called and what's the difference between the two?
The Hanukkah lamp is called a "Hanukkiah" (חֲנֻכִּיָּה). It has nine branches, where a traditional menorah only has seven.
What is the name of the leader of the Greek empire who prevented the Jews from observing their religion or studying Torah and attempted to force them to practice Greek religious rites?
Antiochus IV.
"Rock of Ages" is a popular Hanukkah song. What is it called in Hebrew? Bonus: sing some of it, in English or Hebrew.
Maoz Tzur (מָ עוֹז צוּר)
What does the word "Hanukkah" (חֲנֻכָּה) mean in English?
Hanukkah means "dedication." It refers to the Jews rededicating the Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabees and their followers won against the Greeks.
What were the original latkes- back in the 1300s or so- made of?
They were likely made of cheese (probably either ricotta or curd cheese), fried in poppyseed oil or butter, and served with fruit preserves.
In what direction do we light the Hanukkah candles? Bonus: what is the Hebrew word for the "helper" candle that lights all the others?
We light them from left (or newest) candle to right. We place the candles in the Hanukkiah from right to left, however.
Bonus: "shamash" (שַׁמָּשׁ)
What is the name of the first leader of the Maccabees and two of his five sons?
Mattathias was the initial leader of the Maccabees. was an elder of the Jewish town of Modi'in. When the Greeks tried to force the Jews to sacrifice to the Greek gods, he refused and killed the first Jew who betrayed his religion to do so. 'Follow me, all of you who are for God's law and stand by the covenant!' All those who followed him and his five sons (Yehuda (Judah), Eliezer (Elazar), Yohanan, Yonaton, and Shimon) formed a guerrilla army.
Sing the first verse and chorus of "Ocho Kandelikas" and tell me what language it's written in.
"Hanukah linda sta aki/ Ocho kandelas para mi/ Hanukah linda sta aki/ Ocho kandelas para mi, oh
Una kandelika, dos kandelikas/ Tres kandelikas, kuatro kandelikas/ Sintyu kandelikas, sej kandelikas/ Siete kandelikas... ocho kandelas para mi." It's written in Ladino.
What is the Hebrew date of the start of Hanukkah?