The Chanuka Story
The Miracle of the Oil
Minhagim
Symbols
Halachos & Fun Facts
100

Who were the small group of Jewish fighters who stood up to the Greeks?

Macabiim

100

What special object needed pure oil to light it?

The Menorah

100

How many nights do we light the menorah?

8

100

What is the spinning top we play with called?

Dreidel / Sevivon

100

How many candles do we put in the menorah on the first night (including shamash)?

Two (one candle + shamash)

200

What empire tried to force the Jews to stop keeping Torah and mitzvos?

Greek

200

How long was ONE jar of pure oil supposed to last?

One day

200

Where do we place the menorah to publicize the miracle?

window, door way

200

What letters are on a dreidel used outside of Eretz Yisrael?

 נ, ג, ה, ש

200

What direction do we ADD new candles each night?

Right to left

300

What was the name of the leader of the Maccabees?

Yehuda HaMaccabi

300

How long did the jar of oil actually burn?

8 days

300

What blessing do we say only on the first night?

Shehecheyanu

300

What do the letters on the dreidel stand for?


→ “Nes Gadol Haya Sham” — A great miracle happened there

300

What direction do we LIGHT the candles?

Left to right (new candle first)

400

What did the Greeks do to the Beis Hamikdash that made it unusable?

They made it impure and ruined the holy items

400

Who found the one jar of pure oil?

Macabim

400

Why do we eat oily foods like latkes and doughnuts?

To remember the miracle of the oil

400

What do we give children on Chanuka to encourage Torah learning?

Chanuka gelt

400

What is the minimum amount of time the candles must burn?

About half an hour after nightfall

500

Who is the best teacher in the world?

Rabbi Kaplan

500

Why was finding pure oil so surprising?

Because the Greeks had made almost all the oil impure

500

What special tefillah is added in Shemoneh Esrei and Bentching?

 Al HaNissim

500

What is the Hebrew word for the menorah used on Chanuka?

Chanukiya

500

Which book of Torah or Nach tells the Chanuka story?

None