There is no better time than Chanukah to learn and read Hebrew together with your children. In honour of the magical eight-day holiday of light, our sages of yore left us with beautiful blessings, prayers and songs. These include Heneirot Halalu (These Candles) and Moaz Tzur (Refuge, Rock of my Salvation), which is perhaps one of the most popular Jewish songs!
As you stand around the Chanukah candles, these beautiful musical rituals allow you to connect yourself and your children to the eternity of Israel. So, let’s take a look at some of the Hebrew songs you can sing together with your children on Chanukah. With a little background info, you can enlighten your little ones as well.
The Chanukah Blessings
One of the central themes of Chanukah is the lighting of the Menorah. In doing so, we remember the rededication of the ancient Temple – Beit Ha-Mikdash by the courageous Maccabees from the occupation of the Greeks. The Maccabees were not just military men, but also the Priests or Kohanim that served in the Temple. The rekindling of the Menorah signalled that the battle was won and that the Nation of Israel could once again worship freely in the Holy City of Jerusalem.
The Song of Moaz Tzur
This song with its six stanzas takes us through the first thousand years of Jewish history. From Egypt to the destruction of the first Holy Temple by Babylon and then the salvation of Purim and lastly our own story of Chanukah.
The Sevivon Song
This fun song for spinning the sevivon, also known as the dreidel, has two variations: one with the word ‘here’ – po and the second with the word ‘there’- sham, depending if you live in Israel or in the Diaspora. The dreidel game goes way back to the time of the Maccabees. The Greeks who occupied Israel at the time decided to outlaw Judaism. Many Jews would hide in the caves of Judea to pray and study. In the event they heard a Greek soldier coming, they would quickly pull out a dreidel/sevivon and pretend that they were just playing games.
Use Jewish Interactive's My Menorah app this Chanukah to learn more about Chanukah songs and the miracle of Chanukah! Sing, play and have a great time, while remembering the “Great Miracle that Happened There - Nes Gadol Hayah Sham!”
