Chanukah Parties with an Educational Learning Twist

* Chanukah is the Festival of Lights.
* Chanukah is a celebration of the victory of the Maccabees and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple.
* Commemorates the miracle of the oil that burned for 8 days.
* Chanukah begins on the 25th day of the Hebrew month of Kislev.
* Thousands of years ago in the land of Judea there was a Syrian king, Antiochus. The king ordered the Jewish people to reject their beliefs and to worship the Greek gods. Many refused to obey; one who refused was Judah Maccabee. Judah and his four brothers formed an army and chose as their name the word "Maccabee", which means hammer. * After years of fighting, the Maccabees were finally successful in driving the Syrians out of Israel and reclaimed the Temple in Jerusalem.
* On the 25th day of the month of Kislev, the temple was rededicated.
* The Maccabees wanted to light the eternal light, known as the N'er Tamid, which is present in every Jewish house of worship.
* Only a tiny jug of oil was found with only enough for a single day. The oil lamp was filled and lit.
* A miracle occurred as the tiny amount of oil stayed lit not for one day, but for eight days.
* Jewish people celebrate Chanukah to mark the victory over the Syrians and the rededication of the Jerusalem Temple.
* The Festival of the Lights, Chanukah, lasts for eight days to commemorate the miracle of the oil.
* The word Chanukah means "rededication."

DREIDEL: N (nun) = Get nothing from the kitty. G (gimel) = Get everything from the kitty. H (he) = Get half of the kitty. S (shin) = Put half the money in the kitty. If you don't have a dreidel already, you can purchase one at a party goods supply or toy store (they're also fun to make.) Have your guests bring pennies, gold-foil-wrapped chocolate coins, or candies to put in the kitty, or distribute these items yourself during game time. Have everyone place a penny or candy into the kitty and then take turns spinning the Dreidel to determine who wins and who loses. At the end of the game, have everyone count their winnings, and use the pennies and candies to purchase small, wrapped gifts that you've prepared ahead of time.

PASS THE DREIDEL: Have about 6 players per team. Have the teams line up side by side, either sitting or standing next to each other (they could hold hands if they wanted to). At one end of the line, place the six Dreidels. With their left hand have each player grab the right wrist of the person to their right. On the mark, teams pass all the Dreidels down and back again. If a bow falls, players must retrieve while still holding on. The chain must not be broken! 6 objects for each team. The winner is the team that passes 6 dreidels down and back first.

Right click to copy the the printable Chanukah puzzle below.
Chanukah Criss Cross Puzzle

Right click to copy the the printable Chanukah puzzle below.
Chanukah History Crossword Puzzle

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