Hanukkah

Lesson Objectives:To understand what Hanukkah commemorates and how it is celebratedTo consider whether it is right to use violence to fight back against someone who is stopping you following your religion

PrepIllustrate the storyboard of the

history of Hanukkah (using the sheet provided) and explain why it is important for Jews today.

QuestionsWhat two miracles

does the festival of Hanukkah celebrate?

What is a menorah?What does fried food

symbolise?What is the purpose

of the dreidel? Why is Hannukah

important?

HANUKKAH - PART 1• Antiochus, a Syrian king, tried

to make the Jewish people worship Greek gods.

• A statue of Antiochus was placed in the Jewish temple and the Jews were ordered to bow down before him.

• The Ten Commandments commands Jews to only worship God and no other gods/statues, so they refused

HANUKKAH - PART 2

Antiochus took over the Temple in Jerusalem and placed statues of Greek gods inside and ordered anyone who refused to worship them be killed.

He forced the religious leaders to sacrifice pigs to Zeus (the Greek king of the gods) on the Temple’s altar.

HANUKKAH - PART 3

Mattathias was one priest who refused to sacrifice a pig to the foreign gods. He fled with his family and formed a group to fight against Antiochus and his followers.

Soon they had become a small army who regularly attacked the Assyrian forces. Because of their force they became known as the ‘Maccabees’ which means ‘hammerers’.

HANUKKAH - PART 4

In 164 BCE the Maccabees regained control of the Temple and Jerusalem.They removed all of the statues of foreign gods.

But when they came to light the menorah (the 7 lamp stand that represented God’s presence) they found there was not enough oil to keep it alight for more than just one day.

HANUKKAH - PART 5It would take at least 8 days to gain a fresh supply of oil. The Jews decided to light the lamps anyway to show that the presence of God had returned to the Temple

After the first day people were surprised to see the lamps still burning. The lamps continued to burn without oil for 8 days until new oil had been made. Jews believe this to be a miracle from God as if God were saying ‘my presence will always be with you.’

HANUKKAH - PART 6Hanukkah is an 8 day Jewish celebration also known as the festival of lights. It celebrates the triumph of the Jews and the cleaning of the Temple after the foreign gods were removed.

Jews celebrate this every year by lighting an extra candle each day (left to right) on a hanukiah, a nine candle stand, remembering the menorah that stayed lit for 8 days. The ninth candle is called the Shammash (servant) candle and is used to light the others.

HANUKKAH - DREIDELSpinning the Dreidel:

The Dreidel has for sides with a Hebrew letter on each: Nun, Gimmel, Heh, and Shin, or NGHS. These are the first letters of the words ‘Nes Gadol Heyah Sham’, meaning ‘a great miracle happened here.’

Each player has ten counters, and places one of their counters in the middle of their table. On each turn the Dreidel is spun.

TasksRead pages 86-87 and answer the

following questions:1) What miracle forms the background

to the celebrating of Hanukkah?2) What are dreidels and why do they

play an important part in the celebrations of Hanukkah?

3) How are the people reminded of the miracle of Hanukkah through the food that they eat during the festival?

Thinking through the issuesIs it right to use violence against an enemy

if they are stopping you from following your religion?

Write an answer explaining your opinion1 paragraph: arguments for – yes. Some

people may agree, because...2: arguments against – noSome people may disagree, because...3: your overall opinion – which view is

strongerOverall, I believe....because...

Keywords bingoDraw a 3x3 grid in your booksChoose 9 words from the

upcoming list and but them in each square

you need to know what they mean or you may miss your word when the definition is read out!

The first person to get 3 in a row shout ‘bingo’

KeywordsExodusMenorahDreidelHanukka

hMosesShamashMaccabe

esCanaanTorahAbrahamPesachMitzvotSynagogu

e

Shabbat