Download Hanukkah - Reconstructionist Rabbinical College

A Celebration of Dedication
Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging
and Judaism of the Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College
wwww.sacredseasons.org
Mission Statement
Sacred Seasons: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders is a response to the great
spiritual challenges confronting older adults. Elders who face loss, isolation,
frailty and mortality are particularly in need of spiritual solace. Ritual and
holiday observance offers elders—especially those living in residential facilities—a vitally important context for creating meaning, strengthening
social and religious connections and obtaining support. Sacred Seasons
addresses the spiritual needs of Jewish elders by enabling them to celebrate
Shabbat (the Sabbath), holidays, and other sacred occasions.
Each Sacred Seasons celebration kit contains a complete program for a particular holiday or holy time. These programs are adaptable for either frail
or well elders. Sacred Seasons enables activities/recreation or social work
staff, para-chaplains, chaplains, or volunteers to create a meaningful religious and cultural experience for their facility’s Jewish elders.
Leaders can use this resource without any prior knowledge of Judaism or
Jewish practice. By introducing Sacred Seasons to your setting, you can
bring joy and comfort to elders in your care.
Sacred Seasons celebration kits can be downloaded free of charge at the following website: www.sacredseasons.org. There are instructions for downloading files at the site. (Preprinted kits can also be ordered for a shipping
and handling fee from the site.) Compact disks with the music accompanying each Sacred Seasons celebration kit can also be ordered from the same
site for shipping and handling charges.
Hiddur: The Center for Aging
and Judaism is dedicated to
drawing upon Jewish tradition
to enrich the lives of Jews as
they age. Hiddur advances
scholarship, trains rabbis, and,
through national programs
and resources, empowers elders and their caregivers across
the entire spectrum of the
Jewish community through
lifelong learning (Torah), spiritual and religious engagement (avodah), and
contribution to community
(gemilut hasadim).
The Reconstructionist Rabbinical
College is committed to the Jewish
people, to Israel, to the Reconstructionist conception of Judaism as an
evolving religious civilization, and
to the advancement of universal
freedom, justice and peace. The College’s primary mission is to train
rabbis, as well as other Jewish leaders, to teach Torah in its broadest
terms and provide Jewish leadership
in congregations and in other roles
throughout the Jewish community.
The College strengthens the Jewish
community and broader society
through developing and disseminating new ideas, resources and
training opportunities.
The College supports the growth of
the Reconstructionist movement
and the furtherance of its ideas and
ideals throughout the Jewish world.
If you have any questions, please contact Hiddur: The Center
for Aging and Judaism at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College:
• by e-mail at [email protected]
• by telephone at 215-576-0800
• by fax at 215-576-6143.
Please specify that you are seeking help regarding the Sacred Seasons project.
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Introduction
The Hanukkah celebration described in this kit will offer elders solace, joy
and a sense of community. Even very impaired individuals will be able to
feel a sense of wholeness as they participate in lighting the Hanukkah lights.
This kit includes everything you need to know to facilitate a brief and
meaningful Hanukkah celebration: background on the holiday; detailed
instructions for setting up and leading the celebration; a handout for participants; music; recipes and resource lists to help you find the materials
you’ll need. The kit also includes suggestions for other activities that you
can do with elders in preparation for Hanukkah. You are entitled to reproduce (with acknowledgment) any or all of the printed materials for unlimited use within your setting; the Participant Handout is especially designed
to be reproduced for use during the celebration.
You do not need to have any prior knowledge of Judaism or experience
with Jewish ritual to create a Hanukkah celebration. You do not need to
know Hebrew or how to pronounce the songs and blessings; you can use
the CD to “lead” them (or to teach you the songs and blessings, if you
like). All you really need is the desire to make a difference through facilitating a beautiful spiritual experience for Jewish elders.
We are pleased to make available this guide to the celebration
of Hanukkah. Hag same’akh—happy Hanukkah.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz
President
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
Rabbi Dayle Friedman
Director
Hiddur: The Center
for Aging and Judaism
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Acknowledgments
We wish to express our thanks to authors, translators, adapters, composers,
and other copyright holders for permission to include or quote from works
indicated below. Every effort has been made to identify copyright holders and
obtain permission from them. Works are listed by title in alphabetical order.
“Not By Might—Not By Power” from Miracles and Wonders.
Music by Debbie Friedman. Lyrics adapted from Zechariah 4:6.
1974 Deborah Lynn Friedman (ASCAP). Publisher Sounds
Write Productions, Inc. (ASCAP). www.debbiefriedman.com
www.soundswrite.com
“O Hanukkah” translated by Judith Kaplan Eisenstein.
Included with permission of Miriam Eisenstein.
“Oy Hanukkah” performed by the Klezmer Conservatory Band
from Oy Chanukah! Lyrics by M. Rivesman. 1987
Licensed courtesy of Rounder Records Corp.
We are grateful to the following institutions for field testing Sacred
Seasons celebration kits and to the following individuals who offered feedback. The project has been greatly strengthened by their comments and
suggestions.
Sacred Seasons was created
by D’vorah Lee bat-Hanina
and supported by a grant
from the Retirement
Research Foundation.
Distribution of Sacred
Seasons is supported by
a grant from the Gimprich
Family Foundation.
Writer
Rabbi Leah Frankel Wald
Project Manager
Rabbi Deborah Waxman
Editorial Consultant
Rabbi Dayle Friedman
CD Performance
Audrey Marcus Berkman
Jethro Berkman
Rabbi Dayle Friedman
Juliet Spitzer
Rabbi Margot Stein
Rabbi Shawn Zevit
Rabbi Natan Fenner, Rabbi Meryl Crean, Karen Moses
CD Production
Dan Kleiman,
Klimatic Productions
Radio Active Productions
Janis Smith
Ken Ulansey
The Chaplaincy Program of the Jewish Community Federation
of Cleveland, Cleveland, OH
Musical Notation
Miriam Attia
Jethro Berkman
Hebrew Rehabilitation Center for the Aged, Boston, MA
Graphic Design
Jonathan Kremer
Jewish Healing Connections, Jewish Family and Children’s
Service, Boston, MA
Paul’s Run Retirement Community, Philadelphia, PA
Hebrew Home at Riverdale, Baptist Division, Riverdale, NY
Sunrise Senior Living, Abington, PA
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
This celebration kit contains the following components:
Leader Preparation
Background on Hanukkah ..................................................................L.1
Program—Hanukkah: A Celebration of Dedication............................L.3
Guidelines for the Program ................................................................L.6
Please take advantage of
the compact disk of songs
and blessings to help in
leading the program and/or
as a tool for you to learn the
blessings and the songs.
For information, go to
www.sacredseasons.org or
contact Hiddur: The Center
for Aging and Judaism at
(215) 576-0800.
Suggested Additional Programming Activities ....................................L.8
Transliteration Key ............................................................................L.10
Pronunciation Guide..........................................................................L.11
Resources ..........................................................................................L.13
Calendar............................................................................................L.16
Recipes ..............................................................................................L.17
Musical Notation for Guitar ............................................................L.20
The Program
Set Up ................................................................................................P.1
Annotated Leader’s Guide ..................................................................P.3
Participant Handout
Blessings ........................................................................................H.1-4
Songs ............................................................................................H.5-10
Dreidl Game Directions ....................................................................H.11
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Leader Preparation
Background on Hanukkah
Hanukkah is an eight-day festival occurring in the Hebrew month of
Kislev, which falls in late November or December. It is a joyful holiday that
commemorates important events in Jewish history and celebrates several
meaningful themes.
The roots of Hanukkah date back to the fourth-century BCE when
Antiochus III, the King of Syria, took control of Israel. Antiochus III
issued a charter granting the Jews permission to continue living according
to their traditions. However, a successor, Antiochus IV, wanted to unify
the people of his empire through many means, including the practice of
Hellenistic religion. On pain of death, he forbade Jews to observe traditional religious laws (observing the Sabbath, circumcising male children,
following Jewish dietary practice) and required sacrifices to Zeus in the
Jews’ holy Temple in Jerusalem.
In the year 167 BCE, Mattathias, a Jewish priest in the Israeli town of
Modin, began a revolt with his five sons and a small group of followers.
One of the sons, Judah, became the primary leader. Judah and his followers came to be known as the Maccabees.
Eventually, the Maccabees recaptured the Temple in Jerusalem. They
destroyed the idols and the desecrated altar and reconsecrated the Temple.
The dedication of the new altar took place on the 25th day of the Hebrew
month of Kislev.
A festival celebrating the dedication of the new altar was held for eight
days. The festival came to be held every year beginning on the 25th day of
Kislev and was later named Hanukkah, which means dedication.
There are various explanations for why the holiday is celebrated for eight
days. According to one tradition, when the Maccabees regained control of
the Temple, there was enough holy, undefiled oil left to burn for one day
in the menorah (candelabrum) that stood in the Temple. A miracle allowed
the oil to last for eight days until new oil could be brought to Jerusalem.
In commemoration, a tradition developed of kindling lights on each of
eight nights for the length of the festival.
Hanukkah means
“dedication” and
celebrates a miracle
of lights at the
rededication of the
ancient Jerusalem
Temple.
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Themes of Hanukkah
There are several meaningful themes associated with Hanukkah. The holiday celebrates a military victory of a small group against a powerful
oppressor (similar to July 4th, though the political freedom achieved by
the ancient Jews was not complete). Spiritual themes include the victory
of good over evil, the few over the many, light over darkness, and the
power of the spirit over physical strength. In addition, the lights kindled
on Hanukkah signify God’s presence even in the darkest times and the possibility of miracles. Other themes are those of dedication to ideals or goals,
and taking risks or chances (see dreidl section below).
Observance of Hanukkah
The main ritual of Hanukkah is the lighting of the candles in a ninebranched candelabrum called a menorah or chanukiyah every evening of
the holiday. One branch—frequently the tallest, usually in the middle or
at one end of the row—holds the candle used to light the other eight, one
for each night of Hanukkah. On the first night, one candle is lit, the second night, two candles are lit, and so on. (Since a helper candle is used to
light the candle marking the night, there will always be one more candle
lit than the day you are celebrating.) The candles are lit each evening at or
after sunset. The candle lighting is accompanied by the reciting or singing
of specific blessings. Following the candle lighting each evening, it is customary to sing joyous Hanukkah songs. Jewish tradition teaches that the
period of time when the candles are lit (usually about a half-hour) is a time
of pure celebration. No work is done and the light of the candles is traditionally not used for any purpose other than celebration.
We celebrate miracles—
the power of spirit over
physical strength and the
victory of good over evil.
Candles are lit
in the menorah
for eight nights.
Eating is also a part of the celebration of Hanukkah. Favorite foods include
latkes (potato pancakes), frequently served with apple sauce or sour cream,
and donuts, both of which are fried in oil and are reminiscent of the oil in
the Temple (see Resource section for recipe). Chocolate gelt (money) is
sometimes shared. This reflects the practice of giving of gelt (money) particularly to children and to the poor on Hanukkah. More recently, especially in the United States, the giving of other gifts has become a customary part of the holiday. There is also a children’s game associated with
Hanukkah, called dreidl. This four-sided top is used in a game of chance
(see below for directions).
A Hanukkah party held some time during the eight days of the holiday can
provide a more extended time to celebrate. This allows the opportunity to
bring extended family and friends or community together.
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Relationship to Christmas
Because Hanukkah and Christmas both may occur in December, they are
often associated. Indeed, both holidays may have extremely ancient roots
as winter solstice celebrations. However, aside from this ancient pagan
connection, the holidays are not connected. They have different religious
meanings and traditions and different levels of importance within their
religions. Hanukkah is considered a minor holiday in Judaism, while
Christmas is central to Christianity. The emphasis on Christmas in our
country, though, has influenced Jewish observances of Hanukkah. For
example, Hanukkah has gained in popularity, and holiday decorations and
gift giving have become more and more common. Due to the growing
number of Jewish-Christian households in recent decades, some people try
to combine the holidays. This is discouraged by religious leaders, since
blurring the distinctions and observances of the two holidays robs each of
their meaning.
The Program—
Hanukkah: A Celebration of Dedication
Celebrating Hanukkah in your setting can include decorating the space
with appropriate decorations; menorah candle lighting; singing; festive
meals; and a party.
Singing makes the
celebration complete!
Candle Lighting
The main observance of Hanukkah is candle lighting each evening using a
menorah, accompanied by the appropriate blessings (two or three short
blessings), and followed by singing. (The shortest version of the celebration could take no more than five minutes to implement.) It is especially
appropriate and enjoyable to do the candle lighting in conjunction with
dinner so that the participants can associate the lighting with community
time and so that they can have an extended time to enjoy looking at the
candles. Otherwise, the celebration could be held in the late afternoon. If
possible, the candles should be placed in an easily visible place, perhaps in
a window, where they can shine and be seen from outside.
For the candle lighting, you will need matches, candles and a ninebranched candelabrum called a menorah or hanukiyah, with candles to fit.
The candelabrum should be large enough to be easily seen in the room you
will be using. The candle holder holes and candles come in a variety of
sizes, so make sure that you have candles that fit correctly. The most stan-
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
dard, common Hanukkah candles come in boxes of 44, and are about 6/8”
in diameter and about 3” tall. (One box will light one menorah for the
entire holiday. You will use two candles the first night, three the second,
all the way up to nine on the eighth night, for a total of 44 candles. If you
plan to light every night and want to use more than one menorah, be sure
to buy more than one box of candles.) Boxes generally have a variety of
colored candles in each box and can be purchased at some supermarkets,
in Judaica stores and synagogue gift shops, or online. The candles burn for
about 10-30 minutes. You may need to have a staff person present while
they are lit for the safety of any confused elders.
If it is impossible in your setting to burn a real flame, electric menorahs
with light bulbs are available for purchase (see Resources below). Instead
of lighting candles, you can screw in different numbers of bulbs so that the
appropriate number of lights are lit for each night.
The blessings are recited or sung and then the candles are lit. Following
the candle lighting and recitation or singing of blessings, many people sing
Hanukkah songs, a few of which are included in this celebration kit.
Hanukkah Foods
A traditional food for Hanukkah is the latke, or potato pancake. Latkes are
fried in oil to remind us of the oil which burned for eight days at the time
of the rededication of the Temple. Latkes can be served during dinner on
nights of Hanukkah or at a Hanukkah party. Latkes are traditionally served
with apple sauce and sour cream, and a recipe is included in the Resources
section. Frozen latkes, which can be reheated in the oven, can also be purchased in the frozen food section of many supermarkets.
Latkes and donuts—
fried in oil.
Another popular Hanukkah food, particularly in Israel, is jelly donuts (in
Hebrew, sufganiyot), also fried in oil. Traditionally, gelt (money) is given to
children and to the poor on Hanukkah, and this has translated into foilcovered chocolate coins being eaten or given to children as an additional
Hanukkah treat.
Clothing
Participants may wish to dress in clean, festive clothes, and many may
want to wear head coverings (such as yarmulkes) for the candle lighting and
reciting of blessings, as they do for other religious services. (See Resources
for information on ordering head coverings, which are inexpensive; local
synagogues may also donate some upon request.)
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Hanukkah Parties
Elders may enjoy a Hanukkah party, with opportunities for singing, eating
Hanukkah treats (see Recipes below), and playing dreidl (see below).
A Hanukkah party provides a wonderful opportunity to invite family members or local Jewish community groups such as a Hebrew School or synagogue youth group to join you and to establish relationships with elders.
These groups may bring a brief prepared program that includes songs or skits.
A great miracle
happened there.
The Dreidl Game
The game of dreidl is a traditional Hanukkah game. It is a game of chance.
Often in life, people must take chances or risks, such as when fighting a
powerful evil or enemy, as did the Maccabees. In this way, the dreidl game
is linked to the themes of Hanukkah.
A dreidl is a four-sided spinning top, with a Hebrew letter on each side.
Players take turns spinning the dreidl and, depending on which letter the
dreidl lands on, players either add to or take from the winnings in the pot.
The letters on the dreidl are the Hebrew letters nun (n), gimel (g), hay (h),
and shin (ç). Together they stand for the Hebrew saying “Nes gadol hayah
sham,” “a great miracle happened there,” referring to the miracle of the oil
lasting for eight days in the story of Hanukkah.
Each letter also stands for a word in Yiddish, the language Jews spoke in
Eastern Europe. The meaning of the Yiddish word represented by the letter indicates what the player should do in the game if his/her spin lands
the dreidl with that letter facing up:
• Nun ( n) stands for “nisht,” which means nothing.
The player puts nothing in and takes nothing out of the pot.
• Gimel ( g) stands for “gantz,” which means all.
The player wins the whole pot.
• Hay ( h) stands for “halb,” which means half.
The player wins half the pot.
• Shin ( ç) stands for “shtel,” which means put in.
The player adds one to the pot.
To begin the game, each player puts a token (a game piece, nut, raisin,
piece of chocolate gelt, or penny, etc.) into the pot. Players then take turns
spinning the dreidl and add or subtract tokens as the letters indicate. The
player who has the most tokens at the end of the game wins.
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Dreidls of various sizes can be purchased at synagogue gift shops, Judaica
stores or online. Small, plastic dreidls (about an inch and a half in size) are
least expensive. However, they may be very difficult to spin for people with
declining manual dexterity or be a swallowing hazard for severely cognitively impaired individuals. Wooden dreidls a few inches high and wide are
easier to use and are recommended.
Decorations
Hanukkah decorations are not traditionally integral to the holiday. However,
they may help to make elders feel more at ease, particularly if a setting has
many decorations for Christmas. Decorations for Hanukkah can be homemade and/or store-bought. They might include “Happy Hanukkah” banners, pictures of menorahs or dreidls, or three-dimensional hanging paper
dreidls. Also available are fabric wall hangings of menorahs with candles
which can be attached with velcro. The correct number of candles can be
hung each day.
Guidelines for the Program
The Role of the Program Leader
The program leader facilitates the Hanukkah celebration for the participants. The leader may be an activities staff member, social worker, elder,
family member or volunteer from the Jewish community. It is not necessary that the leader be Jewish or know the words to blessings and prayers.
You can use the CD to “lead” the blessings and songs, or you can invite
participants who know them to recite the blessings. All prayers can be read
or sung in English or Hebrew. Keep in mind that the Hebrew language
and traditional melodies may be especially powerful means of connecting
elders to memory and emotion.
Ways to engage elders include inviting them to clap their hands to the
music; to read a prayer out loud to the rest of the group; to join together
as a group to read prayers or additional readings; to tell their favorite
Hanukkah stories; to participate in a discussion; to enjoy the pleasant
smells and tastes of the food. With the leader’s assistance, each participant
will discover meaningful involvement in the programming. For some, this
may mean actually leading part or all of the program.
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Leadership by Participants
One or more elders may be able lead all or part of the enclosed program if
the resources are made available to them. Elders’ range of Jewish knowledge, experience and comfort with ritual varies greatly. Do not assume
expertise, but also do not hesitate to ask or empower elders to participate.
Timing of Program
Hanukkah candles are usually lit in the evening, at or after sunset, since
Jewish holidays begin at sunset (similar to beginning observance of
Christmas by marking Christmas eve). The candle lighting and blessings
take only a few minutes. Singing can last as long as you would like, but
five or ten minutes could be sufficient. Combining candle lighting before
or after dinner is a particularly appropriate time to schedule this program.
If this is not possible in your setting, late afternoon is preferable.
On Friday nights, the Hanukkah candles should be lit before the Sabbath
candles. Singing should follow the lighting of the Sabbath candles and can
include Shabbat songs as well as ones for Hanukkah (see the Sacred Seasons
celebration kit, Oneg Shabbat: The Celebration of the Sabbath, for more
information).
Hanukkah parties or dreidl games can be scheduled for any time during or
immediately before the eight days of the holiday at your convenience.
Logistics of Lighting the Candles
Each night of Hanukkah, candles are lit in the menorah. One branch—frequently the tallest, usually in the middle or at one end of the row—holds
the candle used to light the other eight, one for each night of Hanukkah.
On the first night, the helper candle, called the shamash, lights one candle,
the second night two, and so on. (Since a shamash is used to light the candle marking the night, there will always be one more candle lit than the
day you are celebrating.)
Usually, only the number of candles that will be lit are placed in the menorah. Traditionally, the eight candles marking the eight days of the holiday
are placed in the menorah from right to left, but lit from left to right; the
candle in the newest place is the first lit by the shamash.
Two blessings are recited or chanted (on the first night, an additional third
blessing is recited), and then the candles are lit. See the Participant
Handout and the accompanying CD for the blessings.
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Suggested Additional Programming Activities
Just as individuals observing a holiday at home often prepare for days or
weeks in advance, elders may welcome the opportunity to begin preparing
for—and in this way anticipating—Hanukkah in advance. In addition,
since Hanukkah lasts for eight days, you may have the opportunity to mark
the holiday through other kinds of activities. Here are some ideas for additional Hanukkah activities.
Crafts
Elders may enjoy preparing for Hanukkah by making decorations, such as
signs saying “Happy Hanukkah” or table centerpieces with Jewish stars or
menorahs. They may also appreciate making their own menorah.
Participants may enjoy making decorations for their rooms. Possible
projects include:
• Making window decorations of a menorah, a dreidl,
or Jewish stars;
• Making door hangers for participants’ rooms in the shape
of a dreidl or menorah.
Participants might also enjoy the opportunity to make holiday gifts, such
as photo frames, beaded bracelets, bookmarks or pillow covers.
You can find many additional ideas for Hanukkah crafts in the books listed in the Resources section. Oriental Trading Company offers holidaythemed craft materials and kits adaptable for an older population
(www.orientaltrading.com 1-800-228-2269).
Games
For fun and for cognitive stimulation, you might choose to lead a word
challenge on a dry erase board. Take a long Hanukkah-related word or
phrase (such as “Hanukkah,” “Maccabbee,” “Jerusalem,” “potato latke,”
“sufganiyot”) and see how many smaller words participants can make out
of the larger one.
Discussion
In preparation for Hanukkah, you may want to engage elders in discussion
of the themes of Hanukkah or lead them in remembering about the experiences they have had in the past in celebrating the holiday (see Leader’s
Guide for some themes and questions).
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Stories
There are many wonderful stories from Jewish tradition related to
Hanukkah themes. Stories can be read out loud by staff, volunteers, or elders. They could also be acted out by elders or by a multigenerational group
including children.
Some excellent sources for stories are:
Chicken Soup for the Jewish Soul. Jack Canfield, et al.
Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, 2001.
Jewish Stories One Generation Tells Another. Peninah Schram.
Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, 1987.
The Power of Light: Eight Stories for Hanukkah. I.B. Singer.
New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1980.
Small Miracles for the Jewish Heart. Yitta Halberstam and Judith Levinthal.
Holbrook, MA: Adams Media Corporation, 2002.
Time for My Soul: A Treasury of Stories for Our Holy Days.
Annette Labovitz and Eugene Labovitz. Northvale, NJ:
Jason Aronson, 1987.
Cooking
Elders may enjoy cooking in preparation for your Hanukkah celebration.
They could help to prepare latkes (potato pancakes), sufganiyot (jelly
donuts), or sugar cookies cut in the shape of a menorah, a dreidl, or a
Jewish star. Alternatively, they might enjoy sharing their ideas for a menu
for food for a Hanukkah party. See Recipes for additional information.
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Transliteration Key
If you are unfamiliar with Hebrew, this key will explain how the various
sounds of Hebrew, transliterated into English characters, are pronounced.
Put on the CD, beginning with the first track, and follow along in the
leader’s manual. In addition to familiarizing you with the program, this
will help you to learn the pronunciation of the prayers, blessing and songs.
Remember, you do not have to know how to pronounce the Hebrew songs
and blessings to lead the celebration; you can use the CD for this purpose.
Consonants
(not pronounced)
b
v
g (as in “go”)
d
h
v
z (as in “Zion”)
kh
t
y
k
kh (as in “barukh”)
Vowels
e (as in “bed”)
a (as in “are”)
•
•
ut t
o (as in “store”)
u (as in “put”)
i (as in “sit”)
l
m
n
s
(not pronounced)
p
f
tz (as in “mitzvah”)
k
r
sh
s
t
Dipthongs and Glides
ey (as in “they”)
ay (as in “bayou”)
uwi (u+i, pronounced
rapidly together)
oy (as in “toy”)
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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© 2004. All rights reserved.
Pronunciation Guide
Hebrew is an ancient language that has its roots in the earliest written
alphabets. It developed prior to Latin, which is the alphabet and language
on which all Romance languages (French, Spanish, Italian) and much of
English is based. In Hebrew, consonants are the primary ways that meaning is communicated; vowels are not letters themselves, but appear above,
below or in the middle of consonants.
If you have some familiarity with Hebrew, you may lead from the Hebrew
text that is included in all of the materials. You may also be aided in your
efforts by the transliterations (Hebrew transliterated into English characters) that are provided. A transliteration key appears above to offer an
introduction and general assistance.
If you have little or no familiarity with Hebrew, here are some guidelines for
reading the transliteration without reference to the Hebrew. Remember, you
do not need to know how to pronounce the Hebrew songs and blessings to
lead this celebration; you can use the CD for this purpose.
Hebrew Letters and Sounds that Do Not Appear in English
There are a few letters in Hebrew that have no exact correspondence with
English letters or sounds. The most common sound (which actually arises
from two different letters) is transliterated in this celebration kit as “kh”
(and in some other places as “ch”). This is pronounced differently from the
English pronunciation in “church.” The sound is made by making a gutteral sound in the center of the throat, similar to the way that Germans pronounce “ch” in such words as achtung or the name Bach. If the “kh” appears
at the beginning of the word (as in some variant spellings of Hanukkah),
some people pronounce it as if it is an “h” (this is the reason for the occasional spelling of Chanukah). If the “kh” appears at the end of the word (as
in barukh, meaning “blessed,” which appears in most Hebrew prayers), it is
important to enunciate it somehow so that people know that you have finished saying the word. People sometimes make a “k” sound when trying to
make this sound; this occurs because they close their throats at the top. If
this happens to you, try narrowing your throat in the middle (as if you are
clearing a tickle), breathe out, and give the breath some sound.
There is also a letter that sounds like “tz,” as in the old Russian ruler, the
tzar. The sound is familiar to us from English (as in the ending sound in
“concerts”), though we make it by putting two letters together. Because it
is a separate letter in Hebrew, it sometimes begins a word, which may look
unfamiliar to English speakers.
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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© 2004. All rights reserved.
There are a few letters in Hebrew that have no sound; they are pronounced
only when they have a vowel attached. This means that it is possible to
have two vowel sounds next to one another, which is a combination that
does not happen often in regular modern English (think of the old phrase
“ne’er-do-well,” or a character actor drawing out the phrase “he’s ve-e-ery
tricky”). These instances are usually indicated either by an apostrophe (as
in “ne’er”) or a hyphen (as in “ve-e-ery”). To pronounce them, just give a
slight pause and then go on.
English Sounds that Do Not Appear in Hebrew
There are certain sounds that are not used in Hebrew. The most common
is the “a” sound as it is pronounced in the word “gas” or “has.” If you see
an “a” on its own, it is almost always pronounced as the “a” sound in “are”
or “cardinal.”
There is no “w” in Hebrew. This means there is no unique “w” sound to
begin a word. There is also no sound like the long “o + w” sound in “show”
(which is how many Americans pronounce many “o” sounds, even those
without an actual “w” on the end).
Interesting Facts
There are three letters in Hebrew that are pronounced differently depending on their punctuation. These are B/V, P/F, Kh/K. This difference in
pronunciation does not change their meaning. Don’t be surprised (or
assume a typographical error) if you see two words or phrases that appear
almost identical except for one letter; trust the transliteration.
A Few Words about Pronunciation
In the American Jewish community, there are two different systems of
Hebrew pronunciation. This celebration kit uses the Sephardi pronunciation because it is the standard adopted by the liberal Jewish community in
America. There is a preference in the Sephardi pronunciation of Hebrew
for the stress to usually fall on the last syllable of a word. (Usually, English
favors stressing the first syllable of a word.)
The other mode is Ashkenazi, or Eastern European Hebrew, which is likely to be the ethnic background of the great majority of Jewish elders.
Ashkenazi pronunciation differs from Sephardi in that many “t” sounds are
pronounced as “s,” and some “a” (as in “are”) sounds are often pronounced
as “o” (as in “home”). Different syllables are occasionally accented than in
the Sephardi pronunciation.
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
One of the most common differences in pronunciations is the Hebrew
name of God. Sephardi pronunciation is “Adonay,” with a sound like “sky”
at the end. Ashkenazi pronunciation is “Adonoy,” with a sound like “toy”
at the end.
Both modes of pronunciation are correct. Either way the blessings are pronounced, participants will recognize the Hebrew used in this program and
the songs and blessings on the CD.
Resources
For More Information on Sacred Seasons
Contact Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College:
• by e-mail at [email protected]
• by telephone at 215-576-0800
• by fax at 215-576-6143
For More Information on this Holiday
Books
Arts and Crafts the Year Round. Ruth Sharon. New York:
United Synagogue, 1971.
The Complete Book of Jewish Observance, A Practical Manual for the
Modern Jew. Leo Trepp. New York: Behrman House, Inc., 1980.
The chapter on Hanukkah gives a history of the holiday and
detailed discussion of holiday observances.
“Hanukkah (Dedication)—The Festival of Lights.” The First Jewish
Catalogue. Ed. Richard Siegel, Michael Strassfeld, Sharon Strassfeld.
Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society. Pages 130-134.
This article gives a brief explanation of the holiday and its customs,
and directions for making dreidls and menorahs.
Celebrating the Jewish Holidays: Cooking, Crafts, & Traditions.
Sharon Kalman, Devorah Levinrad, Anita Hirsch. New York:
Crescent, 1992.
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
The Jewish Holiday Kitchen. Joan Nathan. New York:
Schocken Books, 1988.
Cookbook containing information on Jewish cooking and recipes
for Sabbath and holidays throughout the year, including Hanukkah.
Jewish Holiday Treats: Recipes and Crafts for the Whole Family.
Joan Zoloth and Lisa Hubbard. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2000.
The Jewish Way: Living the Holidays. Rabbi Irving Greenberg.
New York: Summit Books, 1988.
The chapter on Hanukkah gives a detailed history of the holiday and discusses the development of the holiday’s themes and
observances.
JPS Holiday Anthologies: Hanukkah. Compiled by Philip Goodman.
Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1992.
Music
Playing music for Hanukkah as participants gather to celebrate or as they
eat may help to create a festive mood. You can play songs from the accompanying CD or you can purchase additional CDs or cassettes.
Suggested recordings are The Klezmer Conservatory Band Oy Chanukah!
(Rounder Records, 1986) and Not By Might, Not By Power by Debbie
Friedman (www.debbiefriedman.com).
Another resource for recordings of Jewish music is Tara Publications
www.jewishmusic.com 1-800-827-2400.
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Community Resources
Local Jewish organizations may be a resource in terms of answering questions, providing volunteers, locating appropriate ritual objects and suggesting books and programs. The yellow pages of your local phone directory
may be a good place to start (look under “Synagogues” or, in the “Social
Service Organization” section, check under “Jewish.”) You may also contact
the Jewish federation, the Board of Rabbis and local synagogues.
Purchasing Ritual Items
The Hanukkah celebration includes the use of ritual items such as menorahs, dreidls and yarmulkes (skull caps).
1. The local Jewish federation (see above) can provide assistance in locating these items.
2. A local Jewish bookstore or synagogue gift shop may carry these items
or help you order them.
3. Items may also be purchased through catalog companies, many of
which also have websites. Some recommendations include:
• J.Levine Judaica www.levinejudaica.com 1-800-553-9474
• Hamakor Judaica: The Source for Everything Jewish
www.jewishsource.com 1-800-552-4088
• www.judaism.com 1-800-JUDAISM
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Calendar
Jewish holidays and the Jewish Sabbath begin in the evening, at sundown.
As a result, the first day of a holiday comes the following morning, after
the first evening (as New Year’s Day follows New Year’s Eve). Therefore,
the first night of Hanukkah precedes the first day, and the eighth evening
of Hanukkah—the last night of candle lighting—precedes the eighth day.
The eighth day concludes without candle lighting.
Following is a list of first evenings, first days, and last evenings of
Hanukkah for the next ten years:
First Evening
First Day
Last Evening
2005
December 25
December 26
January 1, 2006
2006
December 15
December 16
December 22
2007
December 4
December 5
December 11
2008
December 21
December 22
December 28
2009
December 11
December 12
December 18
2010
December 1
December 2
December 8
2011
December 20
December 21
December 27
2012
December 8
December 9
December 15
2013
November 27
November 28
December 4
2014
December 16
December 17
December 23
A local synagogue or Jewish funeral home may also be able to provide
a Jewish calendar for reference.
L.16
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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© 2004. All rights reserved.
Recipes
Latkes (potato pancakes)
Ingredients:
four large potatoes, peeled
one onion
two eggs
one teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
three tablespoons flour
1/ teaspoon baking powder
2
vegetable oil
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Grate potatoes and onion together into a bowl. (This can also be done
in a food processor.)
3. Pour out excess liquid (or squeeze the batter in cheese cloth to remove
the liquid).
4. In another bowl, beat eggs. Mix in potato-onion mixture.
5. Add salt, pepper, flour, and baking powder. Mix ingredients well.
6. In a skillet, heat vegetable oil. Batter should sizzle when dropped into
skillet.
7. Drop tablespoons of batter into heated skillet to fry pancakes. Brown
on one side and then flip to quickly brown on other side.
8. Keep warm between paper towel sheets in preheated oven while you
cook the rest of the pancakes.
9. Serve hot with sour cream and/or apple sauce.
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Hanukkah Cut-Out Cookies
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/ teaspoon salt
2
1/ cup vegetable oil
2
1 orange, zested* and juiced
1 large egg, beaten
Directions:
1. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add
vegetable oil, orange juice, orange zest and beaten egg and mix until
a dough forms. Divide dough into 4 parts; wrap each in wax paper
and refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm enough to roll.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
3. On a floured surface, roll dough balls out, one at a time, to 1/4 inch
thick. Using cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes and transfer to
prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden.
Cool on wire racks.
Makes 48 cookies
This is good dough to use
for dreidl and menorah cutouts
* Zest is the outermost
layer of an orange or
lemon and is removed
with a zester, fine grater
or vegetable peeler. Only
the colored portion of
the skin and not the
white pith is considered
the zest.
Sufganiyot (Jelly Donuts)
Makes 14 to 16 donuts
Ingredients:
2 packages active dry yeast
3 eggs (separated)
1 teaspoon salt
1/ cup milk or liquid non-dairy creamer
2
1/ cup melted butter or margarine
2
1 cup granulated sugar
3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/ cup jelly
3
(optional) about 1 1/2 tablespoon grated lemon zest or
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
(optional) 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
vegetable oil for frying
confectioners sugar
Sufganiyot (plural of sufganiyah) are jelly donuts
traditionally made in Israel
for Hanukkah.
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Directions for Sufganiyot:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water and stir in 1/3 cup
of granulated sugar and a teaspoon of salt.
2. Blend in the milk, butter and egg yolks and two cups of flour.
Add lemon zest or cinnamon if you like.
3. Beat in the rest of the flour until it forms a soft, smooth dough.
4. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let it rise for about an hour
and a half or until it has doubled in size.
5. Punch the dough down and knead it about 12 times until it is
smooth and elastic.
6. Roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin until it is about
1/ inch thick. Use a biscuit cutter or drinking glass to cut the dough
4
into circles about 21/2 or 3 inches in diameter.
7. Drop about one teaspoon of jelly into the center of each of half
of the circles.
8. Brush the edges of the dough circles with egg white, then lay another
dough circle on top. Pinch the edges together to seal them.
9. Place the filled circles on a lightly floured cookie sheet and cover
with a dish towel. Leave it for about an hour to rise, or until the
circles have doubled in size.
10. Heat about two inches deep of vegetable oil over medium heat until
it reaches 370°F. Carefully lift a few of the uncooked donuts with
a spatula and drop them gently, top side down, into the hot oil.
Let them fry for 3 or 5 minutes until uniformly golden brown.
Turn them as necessary to cook evenly.
11. With a slotted spoon, remove the donuts from the oil and place
them on paper towels to dry.
12. Repeat steps 11 and 12 as necessary until all donuts are done.
Watch that the oil temperature doesn’t drop below 350°F.
13. Dust the sufganiyot with confectioners sugar and serve!
For cookbooks that include additional holiday recipes, see Resources above.
L.19
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Musical Notation for Guitar
Ma’oz Tzur (Rock of Ages)
C
CG C
G
C G C
Ma’oz tzur yeshu’a– ti lekha na’eh lesh abe-e’- akh.
C
CG C C
G
CGC
Tikon beyt te fi la–ti vesham todah nezabe–e’-akh.
C
FG C
C
F
Am G
Le’et takhin matbe’akh mitzar hamnabe-e-’akh.
C
G Dm
F C F
C
G (C)
Az egmor beshir mizmor hanukat hamizbe-e’akh.
C
G Dm F C F C G C
Az egmor beshir mizmor hanukat hamizbe–e’-akh.
L.20
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© 2004. All rights reserved.
Rock of Ages
C
C G C
G
C G C
Rock of Ages, let our song praise your saving po o wer;
C
C G C
G
CGC
You amid the raging foes were our shelt’ring to o wer.
C
F G C C C
F Am G
Furious, they assailed us, but your arm availed us,
C
G Dm
F
And your word broke their sword
C
F
C
G (C)
When our own strength failed us.
C
G Dm
F
And your word broke their sword
C
F
C
G (C)
When our own strength failed us.
L.21
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© 2004. All rights reserved.
Mi Yemalel (Who Can Retell?)
C
G7 C
G7 C G7 C G7
Mi yemalel gevurot yisrael otan mi yimneh.
2x
C
G7 C
G7 C F C
Hen bechol dor ya-kum hagibor go’el ha’am.
D7 Gm
D7
Gm
Shema! Bayamim hahem bazeman hazeh.
Gm
D7
Gm
Makabi moshi’ah ufodeh.
Eb
Cm
D7
Uvyameynu kol am yisrael.
Eb
Cm G7 Cm G7
Yitakhed yakum lehiga’el.
L.22
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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© 2004. All rights reserved.
Who Can Retell?
C
G7 C
G7
Who can retell the things that befell us?
C
G7 C
G7
Who can count them?
2x
C
G7 C
G7
In every age a hero or sage
C
F
C
Came to our aid.
D7 Gm
D7
Gm
Hark! In days of yore in Israel’s ancient land,
Gm
D7
Gm
Brave Maccabeus led the faithful band.
Eb
Cm
D7
Now all Israel must as one arise,
Eb
Cm G7
Cm G7
Redeem itself through deed and sacrifice!
L.23
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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© 2004. All rights reserved.
O Hanukkah
Am
Am
E Am
O Hanukkah, O Hanukkah, come light the menorah!
Am
Am
E Am
Let’s have a party, we’ll all dance the horah.
C
C
Dm
Am
Gather ‘round the table, we’ll give you a treat.
C
C
Dm
Am
Dreidls to play with and latkes to eat.
Am
Am
And while we are playing,
Am
Dm Am
The candles are burning low.
Am
Dm
One for each night,
2x
Am
Dm
They shed a sweet light,
Am
Dm
E (Am)
To remind us of days long ago.
L.24
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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Oy Hanukkah
Am
Am
E Am
Oy Hanukkah, Oy Hanukkah a yom tov a sheyner
Am
Dm
E (Am)
A lustiker a freilekher nito noch azoyner.
C
C
Dm Am
Ale nakht in dredlekh shpiln mir
C
C
Dm Am
Zudik heyse latkes esn on a shir.
Am
Am
Geshvinder tzint kinder
Am
Dm
Am
Di dininke likhtelekh on
2x
Am
Dm
Am
Dm
Zogt “al hanisim” loybt Got far di nisim
Am
Dm
E (Am)
Un kumt gikher tantzn in kon.
L.25
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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© 2004. All rights reserved.
The Program
Set Up
Basic Materials Needed
• nine-branched menorah (candelabrum) and matches
or electric candelabrum
• candles that fit into menorah (one for each night of the holiday
plus a helper candle—for example, on the first night, two candles,
on the fifth night, six candles)
• yarmulkes (skull caps)
• copies of Participant Handout (included in celebration kit)
Timing of Program
In its most basic form (candle lighting and blessings), this program is traditionally held at or after sunset. On Friday nights, the Hanukkah candles
should be lit before the Sabbath candles (see the Sacred Seasons celebration kit, Oneg Shabbat: A Weekly Celebration of the Jewish Sabbath, for
more information). Depending on the needs of participants and your
resources, you may prefer to run it in the late afternoon. Hanukkah parties, games and discussions can occur at any point during the eight days
that the holiday is celebrated.
Optimal Length of Program
The candle lighting and blessings usually take no more than five minutes.
Singing after the lighting can go on for an additional five to ten minutes,
or as long as participants are interested. Parties can be as long as is appropriate, depending on the level of functioning and attention of participants.
P.1
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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Logistics of Lighting the Candles
Each night of Hanukkah, candles are lit in the menorah. One branch—frequently the tallest, usually in the middle or at one end of the row—holds
the candle used to light the other eight, one for each night of Hanukkah.
On the first night, the helper candle, called the shamash, lights one candle,
the second night two, and so on. (Since a shamash is used to light the candle marking the night, there will always be one more candle lit than the
day you are celebrating.)
Usually, only the number of candles that will be lit are placed in the menorah. Traditionally, the eight candles marking the eight days of the holiday
are placed in the menorah from right to left, but lit from left to right; the
candle in the newest place is the first lit by the shamash.
Before the Hanukkah candles are lit, two blessings are recited or chanted
(on the first night, an additional third blessing is recited—see next page for
more detail). The menorah can be placed in a location where everyone can
see the candles while they burn (usually ten to thirty minutes). A staff person may need to stay nearby to ensure that an impaired elder does not
approach the candles too closely.
P.2
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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Annotated Hanukkah Leader’s Guide
Below is a program outline, for use in conjunction with the Participant
Handout and the compact disk. The outline includes a full program of
blessings, songs, suggested topics for discussion, and directions for the
dreidl game, a popular Hanukkah game. You can incorporate all of the
materials into your program as well as additional songs or stories, or you
can choose a few selections for a brief program. Here are a few guidelines
for making your choices.
• Participants should receive copies of the Participant Handout found
in this celebration kit, which you are free to reproduce. References to
the CD tracks and song numbers on the Participant Handout are
included. The outline is designed so that you do not have to look
back and forth between two documents (this one and the Participant
Handout), but you may want to have a copy of the handout
by your side.
• Candles are lit every night of the eight nights of the holiday (see Page
P.2 for logistics). The first two blessings should be recited every night
of Hanukkah immediately before lighting the candles. On the first
night only, the third blessing is also recited after the candles are lit.
• On the Friday night of Hanukkah, the two Hanukkah blessings are
recited and the candles for Hanukkah are lit. (If it is the first night of
the holiday, the third blessing is also recited.) Afterward, the candles
for the Sabbath are lit, and the appropriate blessing recited (included
in this kit; for more information, see Sacred Season’s Oneg Shabbat:
A Celebration of the Jewish Sabbath).
• Songs are optional and can be included, excluded or substituted as
appropriate. Participants may have their own favorite Hanukkah
songs; this kit contains only a handful of Hebrew, English and
Yiddish songs that celebrate this holiday.
• Included in the leader’s guide are questions for a discussion on the
themes of Hanukkah. In addition, story telling can add to the program. You may want to encourage elders to tell brief stories about
their experiences around Hanukkah.
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
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I.
Set Up the Menorah
One branch—frequently the tallest, usually in the middle or at one end
of the row—holds the candle used to light the other eight, one for each
night of Hanukkah. On the first night, the helper candle, called the
shamash, lights one candle, the second night two, and so on. Usually,
only the number of candles that will be lit are placed in the menorah.
Traditionally, the eight candles marking the eight days of the holiday
are placed in the menorah from right to left, but lit from left to right;
the candle in the newest place is the first lit by the shamash.
II.
Welcome
Offer a few words of welcome to elders, family and friends
to this Hanukkah celebration. Traditional greetings are:
• Happy Hanukkah
• Hag same’akh (Hebrew for “happy holiday”)
III.
You will need:
• Yarmulkes
• Participant Handouts
Lighting the Candles
Bless the candles:
• The individual(s) lighting the candles may recite or
sing the blessing, from memory or by using the handout; or
• Recite or sing the blessing in Hebrew and English yourself,
on your own or by inviting those present to recite with you; or
• Play CD tracks #1 and 2.
• Invite a participant to come to the candles and light them; or
• Light them yourself.
Participant Handout #1
CD Track #1
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam
asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu
lehadlik ner shel hanukkah.
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe,
who has made us holy with Your mitzvot, and has commanded
us to kindle the Hanukkah lights.
P.4
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(first night only)
Participant Handout #2
CD Track #1 (continued)
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam
she’asah nisim la’avoteynu bayamim hahem bazeman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe,
who did miracles for our ancestors in those days at this season.
Then light the candles:
• Invite a participant to come and light the candles; or
• Light them yourself.
IV.
First Night Only Additional Blessing Over Candles
On the first night only, recite in Hebrew or English this third blessing immediately after the first two blessings.
(first night only)
Participant Handout #3
CD Track #2
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam shehekheyanu
vekiyemanu vehigi’anu lazeman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe,
who has kept us alive, and sustained us, and brought us to
this season.
P.5
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
V.
Additional Blessing for Friday Night
On the Friday night of Hanukkah, candles are also lit to welcome
the Jewish sabbath.
• Light the candles first, on your own or by inviting a participant
to do so.
• Bless the candles from memory, by using the handout,
or by playing CD track #3.
(first night only)
You will need:
• 2 Shabbat candles
• candlesticks
• matches OR
• electric candelabrum
Participant Handout #4
CD Track #3
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam asher kideshanu
bemitzvotav vetzivanu lehadlik ner shel shabbat.
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe,
who has made us holy with Your mitzvot and
commanded us to kindle the Shabbat light.
P.6
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
VI.
Singing (Optional)
Following the candle lighting and the blessings, it is customary to sing
Hanukkah songs. Many people know versions of the same song in
Hebrew, English and Yiddish translations. Some of the most popular
songs are included on the accompanying CD and the words on the
Participant Handout.
• Refer participants to handouts and invite one or more to lead one
of the songs, on their own or accompanied by the CD; or
• Lead a song yourself, with or without accompaniment of the CD;
or
• Play the accompanying CD or another CD; or
• Invite a participant to sing a Hanukkah song not included in the
celebration kit.
A. Ma’oz Tzur Participant Handout #5, CD Track #4
B. Rock of Ages Participant Handout #6, CD Track #5
C. Mi Yemalel Participant Handout #7, CD Track #6
D. Who Can Retell Participant Handout #8, CD Track #7
E. O Hanukkah (English) Participant Handout #9, CD Track #8
F. Oy Hanukkah (Yiddish) Participant Handout #10, CD Track #9
G. Not By Might Participant Handout #11, CD Track #10
P.7
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
VII.
Discussion (Optional)
To link the meaning of Hanukkah with the lives of participants, it
may be helpful to have a few minutes of conversation before or after
the candles are lit, or at other times of day during the holiday. Some
suggested topics (perhaps one each night) are:
• Memories of Hanukkah from our childhoods.
• Memories of Hanukkah from when we were raising children,
or that we celebrated with family members or friends.
• Times in our lives when we felt small, or weak, or vulnerable, but
overcame something very difficult, as the Maccabees overcame their
powerful oppressor. Are we in a similar situation in some way now?
• Times we have experienced good overcoming evil.
• Times when our spirits have been stronger than our physical
strength. Is that the case now?
• Have we experienced miracles? What does the word “miracle”
mean to us?
• When have we dedicated something, or dedicated ourselves to
something? What are we dedicated to now?
• When have we taken risks, like the Maccabees? When have we had
to leave something important to chance, like in the dreidl game?
VIII. Dreidl Game
The dreidl game is a children’s game of chance that, with thoughtfulness and care, can be adapated to be played with adults.
Individuals can play on their own right or, if elders do not have the
manual dexterity to handle a dreidl, family or community members,
volunteers or staff can be at each table with a group of elders, and
they can spin on behalf of the group. If you do not have enough
staffing, two visitors or staff could play each other, and elders could
be on two “rooting teams.” Directions for the dreidl game are
included as part of the Participant Handout.
You will need:
• One or a few dreidls (tops)
• Gambling pieces to play
the game with (pennies,
tokens, M&Ms, raisins,
nuts)
• A smooth playing surface
for spinning
P.8
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Songs and Blessings
Participant Handout
Blessings
1. Blessings for Kindling the Hanukkah Lights
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam
asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu lehadlik
ner shel hanukkah.
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler
of the universe, who has made us holy
with Your mitzvot, and commanded us
to kindle the Hanukkah lights.
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
H.1
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam
she’asah nisim la’avoteynu
bayamim hahem bazeman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Eternal our God,
Ruler of the universe, who did miracles
for our ancestors in those days at this season.
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
H.2
2. Shehekheyanu Blessing
(First Night Only)
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam
shehekheyanu vekiyemanu vehigi’anu lazeman hazeh.
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the universe, who has kept us alive, and sustained us, and
brought us to this season.
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
H.3
4. Blessing for Kindling the Shabbat Light
(Friday Night Only)
Barukh atah adonay eloheynu melekh ha’olam
asher kideshanu bemitzvotav vetzivanu
lehadlik ner shel shabbat.
Blessed are You, Eternal our God, Ruler of the
universe, who has made us holy with Your mitzvot
and commanded us to kindle the Shabbat light.
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
H.4
Songs
4. Ma’oz Tzur (Rock of Ages)
Ma’oz tzur yeshu’ati lekha na’eh leshabe’akh
Tikon beyt tefilati vesham todah nezabe’akh
Le’et takhin matbe’akh mitzar hamnabe’akh
(2x) Az egmor beshir mizmor hanukat hamizbe’akh.
(Translation follows below)
5. Rock of Ages
2x
{
Rock of Ages, let our song praise your saving power;
You amid the raging foes were our shelt’ring tower.
Furious, they assailed us, but your arm availed us,
And your word broke their sword
When our own strength failed us.
(Adapted from a translation by Gustav Gottheil and Marcus Jastrow)
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
H.5
6. Mi Yemalel (Who Can Retell?)
Mi yemalel gevurot yisrael otan mi yimneh.
2x
Hen bekhol dor yakum hagibor go’el ha’am.
Shema! Bayamim hahem bazeman hazeh
Makabi moshi’a ufodeh.
Uvyameynu kol am yisrael Yitakhed yakum lehiga’el.
Mi yemalel gevurot yisrael otan mi yimneh.
2x
Hen bekhol dor yakum hagibor go’el ha’am.
{
{
(Lyrics by Menashe Ravina)
(Translation follows)
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
H.6
7. Who Can Retell?
{ Who can count them?
2x Who can retell the things that befell us?
In every age a hero or sage
Came to our aid.
Hark! In days of yore
In Israel’s ancient land,
Brave Maccabeus led the faithful band.
Now all Israel must as one arise,
Redeem itself through deed and sacrifice.
(Translated by B. M. Edidin)
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
H.7
8. O Hanukkah
O Hanukkah, O Hanukkah, come light the menorah!
Let’s have a party, we’ll all dance the horah.
Gather ’round the table, we’ll give you a treat.
Dreidls to play with and latkes to eat.
2x
{
And while we are playing,
The candles are burning low.
One for each night,
They shed a sweet light,
To remind us of days long ago.
(Adapted from a translation of the Yiddish by Judith Kaplan Eisenstein)
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
H.8
9. Oy Hanukkah (Yiddish original)
Oy Hanukkah, oy Hanukkah a yom tov a sheyner
A lustiker a freilekher nito noch azoyner.
Ale nakht in dreydlekh shpiln mir
Zudik heyse latkes esn on a shir.
Geshvinder tzint kinder
Di dininke likhtelekh on
Zogt “al hanisim” loybt Got far di nisim
2x
Un kumt gikher tantzn in kon.
{
(Lyrics by M. Rivesman)
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
H.9
10. Not By Might
Not by might and not by power
But by spirit alone shall we all live in peace.
The children sing, the children dream,
And their tears may fall, but we’ll hear them call
And another song will rise.
Not by might, not by power, shalom.
(Debbie Friedman)
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
H.10
Directions for Dreidl Game
Each player is allotted at least ten tokens (a game piece, nut, raisin, penny
chocolate gelt, etc.). To begin the game, each player puts a token into the pot,
an area in the middle of the table. Players take turns spinning the dreidl and,
depending on which letter the dreidl lands, players either win or lose some of
the contents in the pot. The player who has the most tokens at the end of the
game wins.
Below is the code for determining what action to take depending on which
side the dreidl lands:
• Nun ( )
• Gimel ( )
• Hay (
• Shin (
)
)
stands for “nisht,” which means nothing in Yiddish.
The player puts nothing in, and takes nothing out.
stands for “gantz,” which means all.
The player wins the whole pot, and everyone
antes up again.
stands for “halb,” which means half.
The player wins half the pot.
stands for “shtel,” which means add or put in.
The player adds one token to the pot.
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual Resources for Elders—
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging and Judaism
of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
H.11
Sacred Seasons Evaluation Form
Demographics
1. What kind of setting is your facility?
Nursing home
Assisted living
Retirement community
Adult day care
Community center
2. What percentage of the population you serve is Jewish?
80-100 percent
60-80 percent
40-60 percent
20-40 percent
0-20 percent
3. With what population was Sacred Seasons used in your setting?
High-functioning, independent elders
Moderately functioning elders
Impaired elders
4.How many people participated in the celebration(s)?
1-10
11-25
26-40
41-60
60 or more (approximately how many?_____ )
Questions for Program Director or Supervisor
5. Who was the program leader for the Sacred Seasons program?
Recreation therapist
Volunteer
6. Was the program leader Jewish?
Resident’s family member
Yes
Other staff
Other
No
If no, was the program leader familiar with the celebration of Hanukkah?
Yes
No
7. How did you select or recruit a program leader?
8. Were the directions for the set-up of the program clear and easy to implement?
Very clear
Clear
Somewhat unclear
Unclear
9. Did the Program Leader’s Annotated Guide enable the leader to implement the program independently?
He or she was:
Very independent
Independent
Somewhat dependent
Needed intensive supervision
10.Was the material easy to download off the website?
Yes
No Any problems?
11. How did you use the Hanukkah materials? (may check more than one box)
To implement a program before or during Hanukkah.
To light Hanukkah candles one night during Hanukkah.
To light candles a few times during Hanukkah.
To light candles all eight nights of Hanukkah.
12. Would you like to receive more Sacred Seasons materials for Jewish elders?
Yes
No
If yes, on what topics?
1
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
13. Would you recommend Sacred Seasons to colleagues?
Yes
No
14. Would leadership training on Sacred Seasons materials be helpful?
Yes
No
15. What other needs do you see in your population for Jewish connection and spiritual expression?
Questions for Program Leader
16. How farmiliar were you with Hanukkah prior to using Sacred Seasons?
Very familiar
Familiar
Somewhat familiar
Not familiar
17. How easy were the materials to use?
Very easy
Easy
Moderately difficult
Difficult
18. What might make the materials easier to use or more accessible?
19. How did the participants respond to the program?
20.What kind of participation did you notice?
Singing along
Leading parts of the celebration
Tapping fingers or toes
Demonstrating recognition or familiarity
21. Other comments or suggestions.
Name
Address
City
Email
State
Zip
Phone
2
SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of Hiddur:
The Center for Aging and Judaism of the
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College.
© 2004. All rights reserved.
Please send your donation
to Hiddur: The Center
for Aging and Judaism at
the Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College
1299 Church Road
Wyncote, PA 19095
Supporting Sacred Seasons
I/we would like to help bring Jewish celebration and community
to more Jewish elders through Sacred Seasons.
Enclosed is my tax-deductible contribution payable to Hiddur—RRC:
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SACRED SEASONS: Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders—A Project of
Hiddur: The Center for Aging
and Judaism of the Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College
Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging
and Judaism of the Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College
A Celebration of Dedication
Jewish Spiritual
Resources for Elders
A Project of Hiddur: The Center for Aging
and Judaism of the Reconstructionist
Rabbinical College
We celebrate miracles—
the power of spirit
over physical strength
and the victory
of good over evil.
Additional Sacred Seasons
Celebration Kits:
Oneg Shabbat
Passover
Reconstructionist Rabbinical College
1299 Church Road
Wyncote, Pennsylvania 19095
215-576-0800
www.rrc.edu