We are singing a new song:

Chanukah, Chanukah

Chanukah is near, Chanukah is near.

We'll light 8 candles in a row,

Light 8 candles and see them glow,

Light 8 candles so we all know 

It's Chanukah, it's Chanukah.

Morah Tzivie shared some exciting items with us this week.

Colette: That's a menorah.

Morah Tzivie: You knew!

Colette: I have one at home.

Miles: Me too.

Morah Tzivie: Which holiday do we use the menorah for?

Lochlan/Matan: Chanukah!

Morah Tzivie: What mitzvah do we do on Chanukah?

Maya: Light the candles.

Morah Tzivie: How many candles can the menorah hold? 

Kids: 8

Morah Tzivie: Let's count together. See this guy, the tall one? We don't count him.  He is helper candle. He lights the candles.

Everyone: 1, 2, 3, 4,   5, 6, 7, 8.

Morah Tzivie: What is the tall candle called?

Miles: Shamash.
Morah Tzivie: That's right!

Morah Tzivie shared the Chanukah story.
The children explored the story with Chanukah toys and activities.

Morah Katie: What I should expect to see and experience if I travel back in time to Jerusalem during the time when Judah Maccabee lived?
Maya: Well there is a mean king
Jade: A greedy king.
Maya: Soldiers are saying no mitzvahs, no shabbat.
Matan: No Torah's.
Lochlan: All the learning places are closed.  
Matan: Judah Maccabee told the Jews to stand up for what's right.

Morah Katie: But the army looks pretty big.

Maya: The Jewish people hid in caves. The kids studied Torah and played dreidel to trick the soldiers.

Morah Katie: Are you trying to tell me if the Jewish kids can be brave, maybe if I go back in time and join the Maccabee's I should be brave too?
Maya: Yeah.
Morah Katie: Ok, I'll take Judah Maccabee's advice and stand up for what's right.  Tell me what happens next.
Matan: The Greeks get chased away!
Maya: Hashem made it and they go to the temple and it's a mess!
Lochlan: And there was no olive oil. 
Moshe: One! One! Right there!
Colette: Just for one day.
Matan: They had to go so far to get more.
Colette: It would take eight days.  But the one lasted!
Morah Katie: Such a great miracle. 
Matan: Yep.

Morah Tzivie and the children pretended to be the brave Jewish children from the Chanukah story. 

Fortunately, we can sing with the Torah loudly and proudly.