Jewish Life
Make Your Own Candles for Hanukkah
During Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights, people light candles in a menorah to commemorate the miraculous burning of the oil lamp for eight days. Make this holiday more special by creating your own Hanukkah candles with your family.For this project, you will be needing paraffin wax, thick cotton wicks, a meat thermometer, spoon, knife, a steam or double boiler.Boil ...
Read MoreHanukkah: A Family Celebration
Hanukkah is not just a great time to remember God and appreciate all the blessings he has given us but is also a perfect opportunity to spend quality time with our family. There are many activities that the family can do during Hanukkah. Even the basic Hanukkah traditions like lighting the candles and saying the Hanukkah prayers are opportunities to ...
Read MoreMake Your Own Chanukah Chocolate Gelt
One of the reasons why children love Chanukah is because they look forward to receiving delicious chocolate gelts. Children love chocolates (and many adults too, for sure). As a kid, I have always looked forward to those sparkling, foil-wrapped chocolate coins my mom would buy during Chanukah.This Chanukah, show your kids the sweetness of your love by making homemade chocolate ...
Read MoreLighting an Oil-Based Menorah for Hanukkah
Although many people use candles to light a Hanukkah menorah, using lamps with oil and floating wicks is still considered more traditional since the ancient Jews originally used oil to light the lamp in the Temple for eight days which is the basis for the holiday.Prepare the menorah you will use for the lighting ceremony. Pour some olive oil inside ...
Read MoreFritters for Hanukkah
Eating foods cooked in oil is a Jewish tradition during Hanukkah. This is done to pay homage to the miracle of the lamp oil that lasted for eight days when there was only enough fuel to last for a night. Latkes are the most common food that symbolizes the holiday but there are other foods like sufganiyot (doughnuts), neyyappam, and ...
Read MoreTaking a Time Off for Hanukkah
Hanukkah is one of the busiest Jewish holidays. This is a special time to spend with family and friends and to plan special Hanukkah activities. If you want to enjoy the holiday, you might want to get a time off from work. Here are some tips on how you can successfully get a time off from work for Hanukkah.Make sure ...
Read MoreChanukah Gifts for Your Pets
Who says Chanukah gifts are only for people? Giving gifts to our loved ones during Chanukah is now part of the modern Jewish culture. Your pet dog or cat is also a part of the family so why not include him or her in your family’s Chanukah celebration. Here are some tips.Buy a dog tag or a cute charm for ...
Read MoreChanukah and Tzedakah
Chanukah is a time to give gifts to our loved ones. Chanukah is a special holiday which is often celebrated with dreidel games and lively parties. For many Jewish parents, the Festival of Lights is also the perfect time to teach their children generosity and to share blessings received by God.Some families give tzedakah boxes to their children to teach ...
Read MoreThe Origin of Dreidel
A dreidel is a four-sided spinning top usually played during the holiday of Hanukkah. Each side of the dreidel has a Hebrew symbol which forms the rules of the game. Children would usually play dreidel in exchange for a pot of chocolate gelt covered in gold or silver foil or candies and other sweet treats.Also known as sevivon, the dreidel is ...
Read MoreSafety Tips in Celebrating Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a time to celebrate with family and friends. It is during this time that we shop for gifts, light menorahs; entertain guests, host parties, and cook special foods for the holidays. Despite the excitement that the holiday rush may give you, it is very important to always practice safety during this busy time of the year to avoid ...
Read MoreSteps in Doing Gelt Hunt for Hanukkah
A gelt hunt is an exciting game for children during Hanukkah. Playing games as part of the Hanukkah celebration is a great way to honor our Jewish history. Gelt can be in forms of chocolate coins wrapped in gold foils, real money or homemade sweet treats shaped as coins.Buy chocolate gelts. You can also bake cookies and shape them into ...
Read MoreThe Story of Hanukkah Gelt
Gelt is a Yiddish word which if translated means “money.” Hanukkah gelt is distributed to children during Hanukkah celebrations. Grandparents would usually give gelt in amounts of small coins. In Israel, gelt is known as dmei Hanukkah.Legend has it that the Hasmoneans minted national coins to celebrate their freedom from the ancient Greeks. It is also believed that eighteenth century Eastern ...
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