Happy Hanukkah from JKG!
2nd Year B’nei Mitzvah: The Shehecheyanu Blessing
To learn about Hanukkah and the Shehecheyanu, we are…
Listening to the Shehecheyanu prayer and the prayer over the Hanukkah candles and playing games to practice reciting them.
Writing riddles about different Hanukkah-related items and traditions, and trying to solve them as a class.
Reviewing the story of Hanukkah and discussing it through the lenses of justice, peace, and standing up for what you believe in.
Ask your student...
What blessing do we say only on the first night of Hanukkah?
What were the Maccabees standing up for in the story of Hanukkah?
1st Year B’nei Mitzvah: What is the Shehecheyanu?
To learn about the Hanukkah & the Shehecheyanu blessing, we are. . .
Watching a video about the story of Hanukkah, and then discussing the historical background and impacts.
Learning about the Shehecheyanu prayer, a blessing said over big life events that we are thankful for and excited about.
Illustrating pictures of our biggest Shehecheyanu moments while listening to Hanukkah music.
Discussing ideas of other personal Shehecheyanu moments one could experience.
Ask your student...
What blessing do we say when something happens for the first time?
What are a few examples of moments you could say Shehecheyanu during?
Why do we light the chanukiah (menorah)?
What were the miracles of Hanukkah?
5th Grade: Celebrating Hanukkah!
To learn about the Hanukkah story, we are...
Hearing the story of the Maccabees, who were told that they could not be Jewish (an important part of their identities) and trying to imagine what that might have felt like.
Discussing words we would use to describe ourselves and discussing important parts of our identities.
Playing a group game using all the sides of a dreidel!
Ask your student...
Why did the Maccabees fight the Greeks?
What is something you fight for?
What is a dreidel?
4th Grade: Delving into the Hanukkah Story
To learn about Hanukkah, we are…
Discussing how the Maccabees were brave in the Hanukkah story and discussing how we can have courage in our everyday lives.
Practicing some Hanukkah yoga to learn about different traditional Hanukkah items.
Learning what the letters on the dreidel stand for and playing a game to practice saying them.
Playing a fun game of Hanukkah mad libs to retell the story of Hanukkah.
Ask your student...
What does courage have to do with Hanukkah?
Would the Hanukkah miracles have happened/been the same without courage?
3rd Grade: The Holiday of Hanukkah
To learn about Hanukkah, we are…
Performing the Hanukkah story through a shadow puppet show, and discussing ways we can “shine light” in the world by doing good deeds.
Practicing Hanukkah yoga by becoming different Hanukkah traditional items and talking about their significance.
Learning about the miracles in the Hanukkah story.
Hearing the blessing over the Hanukkah candles and playing a game to practice reciting it.
Ask your student...
What are the miracles in the Hanukkah story?
How can we “shine light” during Hanukkah and the rest of the year?
2nd Grade: The Hanukkah Story
To learn about Hanukkah, we are…
Telling the story of Hanukkah, by creating Hanukkah scenes individually to create the whole story as a class.
Learning why we light candles for eight nights on Hanukkah.
Practicing Hanukkah yoga by becoming different Hanukkah traditional items and talking about their significance.
Ask your student...
What were the miracles of Hanukkah?
Why do we light the chanukiah (menorah) on Hanukkah?
Kindergarten & 1st Grade: Exploring Hanukkah
To learn about Hanukkah we are…
Hearing the story of Hanukkah, creating a Hanukkah word list, and defining any new words we hear.
Spelling out the Hanukkah in Hebrew using our bodies and yoga poses.
Answering Hanukkah trivia and doing a Hanukkah word search together.
Ask your student...
Why do we celebrate Hanukkah?
What are some Hanukkah traditions?
Preschool & Pre-K: Discovering Hanukkah
To learn about Hanukkah we are…
Hearing the story of Hanukkah, learning about why we light candles for eight nights, and practicing the blessings over the Hanukkah candles together.
Playing dreidel freeze dance to learn the different sides of a dreidel.
Enjoying an interactive menorah lighting game together as a class to learn how to light the menorah for Hanukkah!
Ask your student...
Why do we light candles on Hanukkah?
What other ways do we celebrate Hanukkah?