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Hanukkah is a holiday in the Jewish calendar, usually falling from late November to December. It commemorates the rededication of the second temple in Jerusalem over 2,000 years ago. Read this page to learn more about Hanukkah Facts for Kids, along with teaching tips and resources!
Although Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday in the Jewish calendar, people always remember the events rooted in the holiday. As the story goes, the second holy temple of Israel was overtaken by the Seleucid Greek Empire. A family known as the Maccabees decided to stand up to these oppressors and defend their temple.
Thanks to the leadership of Judah Maccabee, the Jewish soldiers were victorious in battle and reclaimed the temple. However, there was a problem. The Seleucid soldiers had taken all the precious oil needed to burn the candles on the temple’s menorah. All except for one jar that was among the rubble.
Without the oil, the Jews of Israel were unable to rededicate the second temple. Ever optimistic, they used the last jar of oil to light the candles. Much to everyone’s surprise, that single jar of oil kept the menorah alight for eight days.
During that week, the Jewish community came together to make more oil and keep the flame burning bright. Ever since, the eternal flame has been seen as a miracle sent to help the people of Israel hold onto their Jewish identity.
Hanukkah is a very ancient Jewish holiday that began thousands of years ago. It’s thought that the story took place in 139 B.C.
As the rededication of the second temple was a groundbreaking event, the Rabbis in Israel decreed the following year that the miracle should be marked with a holiday. The word "Hanukkah" actually means "dedication" in Hebrew.
Some historians also reckon that Hanukkah is a way of making up for the Jewish holidays that were missed under Seleucid rule. Sukkot was one of these events, so Hanukkah was likely an extension of this pre-existing holiday.
Now that we know the background behind this festival, let’s explore how Jewish people come together to celebrate Hanukkah.
Traditions and customs surrounding Hanukkah have ebbed and flowed with the times since the holiday’s origin. Its core tradition is lighting candles on the menorah.
A Hanukkah menorah is a special kind of candelabra with nine branches. The eight candles on the sides of the menorah symbolize the eight nights that the menorah in the second temple burned for, while the candle in the center is called the shamash and is used to light the other eight. On each night of Hanukkah, Jewish people light a candle on the menorah until the final night, when they are all illuminated.
Over the years, though, more traditions have been integrated into the Festival of Lights. Another way that Hanukkah is celebrated is by playing games such as dreidel. A dreidel is a spinning top with four sides, and the sides bear four letters from the Hebrew alphabet. It’s used for a traditional game that is often played at Hanukkah.
Each player starts with the same number of pieces (coins, nuts, raising, or Hanukkah gelt), and each player places one piece in a pot at the start of the game. They then take turns spinning the dreidel and, depending on what letter it lands on, they may take everything in the pot, take half of the pieces in the pot, have to add a piece to the pot, or receive nothing. The winner is the player who has all of the pieces!
There are also plenty of other ways Jewish people observe this wonderful festival. These include attending the synagogue, reading the Torah and praying, enjoying traditional foods such as latkes and sufganiyah (a type of jelly doughnut), and giving and receiving presents.
Read More: What are Hanukkah Traditions? Teaching Wiki
In addition to Hanukkah, there are lots of other holidays that make up the Jewish calendar. Here are some of the main ones that you need to know!
Hanukkah is also known as the "Festival of Lights." It lasts for eight nights.
Families light a candle holder called a "menorah." They add one candle each night until all eight are bright.
A spinning top called a "dreidel" is played during Hanukkah. Each side of the dreidel has a Hebrew letter, forming the acronym "Nes Gadol Haya Sham," meaning "a great miracle happened there."
Traditional Hanukkah foods include latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly-filled doughnuts).
Children often receive gifts during Hanukkah. Some families exchange presents each night.
Hanukkah celebrates the victory of the Maccabees, a Jewish rebel army, over the Greek-Syrian rulers in ancient times.
The holiday commemorates the miracle of the menorah oil, which lasted for eight days (it was only supposed to last for one!)
Chocolate coins, called gelt, are often used during the dreidel game. Players win or lose gelt based on the dreidel's spin.
Hanukkah is associated with blue and white colors, inspired by the Israeli flag. This is often considered a Jewish American tradition.
Many communities have public menorah lightings and festive events, bringing people together to celebrate Hanukkah.
If this is the first time your students are learning about Hanukkah, you’ll probably be looking for teaching resources that will keep them engaged and informed! Here at Twinkl, we have plenty of time-saving learning materials to help you educate your children about Hanukkah. Below, we have included four easy-to-use, teacher-created activities to introduce your class to this topic while developing a variety of skills, such as reading comprehension and coloring.
Our printable Design Your Own Dreidel Activity is a simple resource that encourages your kids to express their creative side while learning about fun Hanukkah traditions. Included in this activity is a template of a dreidel that your kids can color, write on, design, and decorate.
Hanukkah has a rich history with an important story to remind children why we celebrate it. Download The Story of Hanukkah PowerPoint to help you introduce your class to this topic. Our presentation contains colorful and eye-catching illustrations to engage your kids.
Present your students with an informative reading passage about this Jewish holiday. This Hanukkah Reading Comprehension Activity includes a reading passage, multiple choice questions, and two written response questions.
Our easy-to-print Hanukkah Bingo is a fun and engaging learning game that can help you teach your students about Hanukkah in a festive way. With colorful Hanukkah-themed illustrations, this bingo game will capture your students' attention and make learning Hanukkah-themed vocabulary exciting.
We hope the teaching materials and facts featured in our Hanukkah Facts for Kids Wiki were useful to you. For similar educational and informative guides, check out our entire selection of Teaching Wikis and sign up to our website today!
If you have any questions, feedback, or completed activities from your students, please share them in our Twinkl Teaching Community Facebook Group! We look forward to hearing from you.
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