Learn English words about Hanukkah in the US
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| Hi everybody, welcome back to weekly words. My name is Alisha, and today we are going to be discussing a holiday. Today’s holiday is going to be Hanukkah. So let’s get started. |
| Hanukkah |
| Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that’s celebrated at around the same time as Christmas. It’s a traditional holiday that’s typically celebrated for 8 days and 8 nights. |
| Are you going to spend Hanukkah with your family this year? |
| Menorah |
| Menorah refers to a traditional candelabra that’s used for Hanukkah celebration. So it has eight different places to put candles or to put lights, and then there is one special one, or one that’s a little bit distinguished or a little bit different in the middle. So the reason that the Menorah has special meaning or special significance during Hanukkah is because of a story. There was – the Jewish people had a limited amount of oil to burn for light, for candlelight and in the story, there was only enough oil to burn a candle for one night however unexpectedly the oil lasted for eight nights instead. So the eight days of Hanukkah are representative of the eight days that the candles were able to burn instead of just the one. So that’s why the holiday is actually eight days instead of just one day like Christmas is. |
| Where does your family usually put the Menorah during Hanukkah? |
| Dreidel |
| Dreidel, maybe you’ve seen a Dreidel before. A Dreidel is, it’s – I think it’s made of wood. It’s a top, it’s a game. You can spin a Dreidel and play games with a Dreidel. This is a traditional game during Hanukkah. |
| Let’s go play with our Dreidels. My parents gave me a Dreidel when I was a little kid, Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel, I made it out of clay, Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel, that’s all I know. |
| The Temple |
| The Temple, Temple with a capital T. So of course, there are temples around the world, temples in many different cultures and religions. The Temple refers to the place where the miracle of the candle or the miracle of the oil lasting for 8 days took place in the story. The Temple has been destroyed but you can still visit the place or the area where everything took place or the story is centered around. So in a sentence, let’s see. |
| The oil burned for 8 days at the Temple. |
| Hanukkah Gelt |
| Hanukkah Gelt is the last word. Hanukkah Gelt is a gift. Adults, parents will give gift of chocolate or a gift of money or chocolate money to children in the family and this is called Gelt. |
| In a sentence, does your family give Gelt for Hanukkah? |
| Okay so those are a few words that are related to the holiday of Hanukkah. Perhaps you have a friend or perhaps you celebrate Hanukkah yourself. Thanks very much for joining us for this episode of holiday words and we will see you again soon, bye. |
| When it gets all tired, it drops and then I win! I know the tune Dreidel… razzle dazzle. |
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