Chanukah Song
Music by Steve Reuben, lyrics by Judy Caplan Ginsburgh
Chanukah (Chanukah) (2x)
Sing this Chanukah song
Chanukah (Chanukah) (2x)
Everybody sing along
La, la, la..
Dreydl (Dredyl) (2x)
Spin the top around
Dredyl (Dredyl) (2x)
We hope we win when it falls down
Menorah….we light a candle for each night…for 8 nights it sheds light
Latke…a potato pancake treat…let’s make a bunch to eat
1-2-3-4-5 Brave Maccabees
By Ray Cook, 1974
Once upon a time there were 5 brothers known as Maccabees
You can count them, 1-2-3-4-5 brave Maccebees, a bees (2x)
When Antiochus the king said,
“To my idols you must bow.”
“Never”, said the 1-2-3-4-5 brave Maccebees, a bees (2x)
Said their father Mattathius,
“Mee ladonai elai!”
“We are ready!” 1-2-3-4-5 brave Maccebees, a bees (2x)
Then the little Jewish army fought against the Syrians
Proud and strong were 1-2-3-4-5 brave Maccebees, a bees (2x)
On Chanukah we light the candles and we sing such happy songs
And we remember 1-2-3-4-5 brave Maccebees, a bees (2x)
S’veevon
Traditional
S’veevon, sov, sov, sov
Chanukah hu chag tov
Chanukah hu chag tov
S’veevon sov, sov, sov
Nes gadol haya sham (a great miracle happened there)
Chag simcha hu la-am (a great miracle happened)
I’m A Little Dreydl
Lyrics by Judy Caplan Ginsburgh
I’m a little dreydl short and thin
Hold me in your fingers now the game can begin
Then you give a twist and turn me around
I spin and spin ’till I fall to the ground.
I Have a Little Dreydl
I have a little dreydl, I made it out of clay
And when it’s dry and ready, then dreydl I shall play
Oh, dreydl, dreydl, dreydl, I made it out of clay
And when it’s dry and ready, then dreydl I shall play
It has a lovely body with legs so short and thin
And when it gets all tired, it drops and then I win
My dreydl is so playful, it loves to dance and spin
A happy game of dredyl, come play now, let’s begin
(Taken from The Songs We Sing by Harry Coopersmith. United Synagogue of America. Reprinted by permission of the Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York)
Avee Hidleek
Avi hidlik nerot li
V’shmash lo avukah
V’shmash lo avukah
Chorus: Yodim atem lichvod ma? (3x) Lichvod ha-Chanukah.
Father lit the candles for me
The shamash shone so bright (2x)
Oh, do you know what it is for?
Do you know what it is for?
Do you know what it is for?
It’s for Chanukah.
Mother made me latkes
A potato pancake treat (2x)
Oh, do you know what it is for?
Do you know what it is for?
Do you know what it is for?
It’s for Chanukah.
My friend gave me a dreydl
A top that spins around (2x)
Oh, do you know what it is for?
Do you know what it is for?
Do you know what it is for?
It’s for Chanukah.
Oh, If I Were A Dreydl
Music traditional American folk/lyrics Judy Caplan Ginsburgh
Oh, if I were a dreydl, I tell you what I’d do
I’d spin around a million times, so I could play with you
If I were a dreydl (3x)
I’d spin around for you
Substitute verses:
Latke…I’d fry myself in lots of oil so I’d be food for you
Candle…I’d jump in your menorah so I’d be lit by you
Some gelt….I find my way to your house, so I’d be a gift for you
One Little Candle Fire
By Hyman Resnick
On this night, let us light one little candle fire
‘Tis a sight, O so bright, One little candle fire.
Add additional numbers up to eight
Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages)
Maoz tzur y’shuati l’cha naeh l’shabeach
Tikon beit t’filati v’sham todah n’zabeach.
L’eit tachin matbeach mitzar hamnabeach
Az egmor b’shir mizmor chanukat hamizbeach.
Rock of Ages let our song praise your saving power;
You amid the raging foes, were our shelt’rng tower.
Furious they assailed us,
But Your arm availed us,
And Your word broke their sword,
When our own strength failed us.
Chanukah
Chanukah, Chanukah
S’veevon sov, sov
Or chaveev, meesaveev
Gil l’yeled rach.
Chanukah, Chanukah
S’veevon sov, sov
Sov, sov, sov (2x)
Ma na-eem va-tov.
Chanukah, Chanukah, Joyous holiday
Children laugh, children sing, children dance and play
Chanukah, Chanukah, Dreydls spin around
Spin, spin, spin (2x) Then fall to the ground.
Chanukah, Chanukah, Spin the dreydl round
There is light, candlelight, Chanukah’s begun
Chanukah, Chanukah, Spin the dreydl round
Spin, spin, spin (2x) Everyone has fun!
Mi Y’malel
Mi y’maleil g’vurot Yisraeil otan mi yimneh?
Hein b’chol dor yakum hagibor go-eil ha-am
Shema! bayamim ha-heim bazman hazeh
Makabi moshiach ufodeh
Uv-yaminu kol am Yisraeil,
Yit-acheid yakum l ‘ hi-ga-eil.
Who can retell the things that befell us?
Who can count them?
In ev’ry age a hero or sage came to our aid
Hark! In days of old, in Israel’s ancient land
Brave Maccebees led the faithful band
But now all Israel must as one arise
Redeem itself through dead and sacrifice.
Chag Sameach
Chag Sameach (2x)
La, la, la….
Shiru (4x) chag sameach
La, la, la…..
Happy holiday (2x)
La, la, la….
Holidays are joyous days
La, la, la…
Sing (3x) have a happy holiday…
Chanukah Blessings
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melech ha’olam
asher kidishanu b’mitz’votav v’tzivanu
l’had’lik neir shel Chanukah. (Amein)
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melech ha’olam
she’asah nisim la’avoteinu bayamim haheim baziman hazeh. (Amein)
Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melech ha’olam
shehecheyanu v’kiyimanu v’higi’anu laz’man hazeh. (Amein)
Blessed is the Lord, Ruler of the Universe:
1) who hallows us with His mitzvoth and commands us to kindle the Chanukah lights.
2) Who performed wondrous deeds for our ancestors in days of old at this season
3) For giving us life, for sustaining us and for enabling us to reach this season
Haneyrot Halalu
Hanerot, hanerot, hanerot halalu (2x)
Anu madlikin, anu madlikin
Hanerot halalu, anu madlikin
(We kindle these candles)
Y’mey HaChanukah (O Chanukah)
Y’mey ha Chanukah, Chanukat mikdasheynu
B’gil u-v’simcha m’maleem et leebaynu
Laila bayom s’veevo-nay-nu yi-sov
Sufganiyot no-chal bam larov
Ha-iru, had-lee-ku nerot Chanukah rabeem
Al ha-niseem v’al hanif-la-ot
Asher chol’lu ha Makabeem.
O Chanukah O Chanukah, Come light the menorah
Let’s have a party, we’ll all dance the hora
Gather round the table, I’ll give you a treat
Dreydels to play with and latkes to eat
And while we are playing, the candles are burning low
One for each night, they shed a sweet light to remind us of days long ago (2x)
One Little Candle
Written & Performed by Sherrie Stohl
One little candle in my menorah
Two little candles in my menorah
Three little candles in my menorah
Four little candles shining bright.
Five little candles…..six…..seven…
Eight little candles that we light
See the shamas tall as can be
Light the other candles that we see
Ner Li
Ner li, ner li ner li da-keek
Ba-Chanukah neree ad leek
Ba-Chanukah neree ya-ir
Ba-Chnaukah shirim ashir
I have a candle, my candle burns so bright
On Chanukah I light my candles for eight nights
My candles shine and bring me light
On Chanukah, I praise God’s might.
Candles Burning
Lyrics by Judy Caplan Ginsburgh and John Bunyan
Candles burning one by one, hurrah, hurrah (2x)
Candles burning one by one, Chanukah has just begun
And we’ll all play dreydl
Spin and win, nun, gimel, hey, shin
Substitute:
2 by 2 Chanukah gelt for me and you
3 by 3 we honor all the Maccabees
4 by 4 Jerusalem’s Temple was restored
5 by 5 the menorah light was kept alive
6 by 6 light the Chanukah candle wicks
7 by 7 Nes gadol haya sham
8 by 8 Put lots of latkes on my plate
Burn Little Candles
By Ray Cook, 1974
Burn little candles, burn, burn, burn
Chanukah is here
Eight little candles in a row with a flame so clear
Shine little candles shine, shine, shine
Over one and all
Eight little candles in a row standing straight and tall
Dance little candles dance, dance, dance
What a merry sight
Eight little candles in a row swaying left and right
Melt little candles melt, melt, melt
You have been such fun
Eight little candles go to sleep when the day is done.
These Chanukah Lights of Mine
Music: Traditional; new lyrics by Judy Caplan Ginsburgh
These Chanukah lights of mine, I’m gonna let ’em shine (3x)
Let ’em shine, Let ’em shine, Let ’em shine
Can you hide ’em under a table? NO! I’m gonna let ’em shine (3x)
Let ’em shine, Let ’em shine, Let ’em shine
Can you put ’em in the window? Yes! I’m gonna let ’em shine (3x)
Let ’em shine, Let ’em shine, Let ’em shine.
Mi Zeh Hidleek
Ya, la, la…..Chanukah hayom
Ya, la, la….Chanukah’s today
Mi zeh hidleek nerot da-keem ka-ko-chavim ba-rom?
Yod-eem gam teenokot rakeem kee Chanukah hayom
Who lit those candles, shining candles, Shining like the stars?
O everyone around the world knows Chanukah is tonight.
