Here are the answers to the questions in full sentences: 1. Hanukah is celebrated in the winter season. 2. Judah Maccabee was the leader of the army that retook the temple from those who had taken it from the Jewish people. 3. The miracle of Hanukah is that when the temple was cleaned, there was only enough oil to burn the lamp called the Ner Tamid for one night, but it burned for eight nights until more oil could be collected. 4. The menorah is a nine-branched candlestick used to light the other candles during Hanukah. Each night of the eight-day festival another candle is lit on the menorah to represent

1. What is Hanukah?
• Hanukah is a Jewish winter festival.
• Hanukah is an annual festival which
begins in December although the
date changes yearly as the Jewish
calendar differs from ours.
• In 2012 the festival will begin on
Saturday the 8th December and lasts
for eight days.

2. There Are Many Different
Spellings of Hanukah
Chanukah Chanukkah Chanukkah
Hanukah Hanukkah Hannukah
Hanuka Hanukka Khanukkah
Hanika

3. The story of Hanukah
 The festival is a
reminder of the re-
capture of a temple
which had been taken
from the Jewish
people.
 Judah Maccabee led
his army into
Jerusalem and retook
the temple so that
Jewish people could
worship there.

4. The Ner Tamid
 When the temple was cleaned
the Ner Tamid or everlasting
light was lit.
 But there was only enough
oil to burn for one night.
 Some soldiers were sent to
collect more oil and when they
returned eight days later the
lamp was still lit.
 This was seen as a miracle,
showing that God was on their
side in the fight against evil.

5. The Menorah
 This miracle is celebrated
throughout Hanukah.
 Every day of the eight day
festival the menorah
candles are lit.
 The menorah is a nine
branched candlestick.
 The ninth candle is used to
light the others.
 The lighting of the
menorah represents a
sense of “hope”.

6. How is Hanukah celebrated?
 Hanukah is a time for family and friends to
get together.
 There are special meals, songs, stories
and games.
 Food is cooked in oil to celebrate the
miracle of the oil which burned in the
temple.
 Special food such as potato
pancakes called latkes and
fruit-filled doughnuts are
eaten.

7. Dreidel – game of chance
 The dreidel game is a
game played with
friends and family
during Hanukah.
 The four letters which
appear on the four
corners of a dreidel
are a reminder of the
miracle.

8. Dreidels have the letters nun, gimmel, hay,
shin. These stand for "Nes Gadol Haya Sham"
which means "a great miracle happened
there.“
Nes Gadol Haya Sham
A Great Miracle Happened There

9. Task – Using what you have learned today and the
handout; answers these questions in full sentences
and when you have finished draw suitable pictures to
represent and tell the story of Hanukah.
1. In what season is Hanukah?
2. Who is Judah Maccabee?
3. What is the miracle of Hanukah?
4. What is the menorah and how is it
used at Hanukah?
5. How is Hanukah celebrated?
6. What kinds of food are eaten?

10. Task – Using what you have learned today and the
handout; answers these questions in full sentences
and when you have finished draw suitable pictures to
represent and tell the story of Hanukah.
1. In what season is Hanukah?
2. Who is Judah Maccabee?
3. What is the miracle of Hanukah?
4. What is the menorah and how is it
used at Hanukah?
5. How is Hanukah celebrated?
6. What kinds of food are eaten?