image courtesy lucidwaters |
Hanukkah began a few days ago. I have always heard about this holiday, but didn't really know anything about it or the significance of the menorah. So I decided to do a little research this year to find resources for my kids. Naturally, I felt it was a good idea to share with you, too, in case your family is studying world cultures and religions. Below are the resources that I discovered and liked best.
What is Hanukkah?
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. It is also known as the Festival of Lights.
For many, this explanation isn't very satisfying. SO, I thought it would be best to share this video by BimBam, a YouTube channel that posts Jewish videos that explain the basics of Judaism for adults and kids. It's really very good.
Online Resources, Printables, Recipes
- Google's Arts & Culture has an extraordinary online coloring book for Hanukkah. Just select the image you'd like to color and go!
- The Jewish Museum has a sizeable collection of images of Hanukkah lamps and more.
Center for Jewish History, NYC, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons |
- My favorite go-to site, Multicultural Kid Blogs, has several articles dedicated to Hanukkah. Here are two I found especially interesting:
- Hanukkah Crafts for Kids: The Ultimate List
- Gift Giving on Hanukkah - My multitalented friend, Jeannette Kaplun, who is the founder of HispanaGlobal, also has a few posts; one is a set of free printables, and the others are recipes...AND two are available in English AND SPANISH. Take a look!
- Free Hanukkah Cards ... and en español: Tarjetas para Januca que puedes imprimir gratis
- How to make the most delicious potato latkes :: Cómo hacer deliciosos latkes de papas para Januca
- How to make Star of David cupcakes