Chanukah

 

Chanukah Candle Lighting Instructions

 
Here are the blessings.  The third blessing is said only on the first night.
(1)
Baruch ata Adonai, Elohenu melech ha-olam asher kidshanu bemitzvotav

vetzivanu lehadlik ner shel Chanukah.

 

Bless You, God, for illuminating our lives and instructing us to illuminate

these Chanukah lights.
(2)
Baruch ata Adonai, Elohenu melech ha-olam, she-asa nisim lavotenu bayamim

hahem bazman hazeh.

 

Bless You, God, You performed miracles for our ancestors at this time and your

miracles surround us all the time.
 ON THE FIRST NIGHT ONLY, ADD THE FOLLOWING BLESSING:
(3)
 Baruch ata Adonai, Elohenu melech ha-olam, shehecheyanu, vekiyemanu,

vehigi-anu lazman hazeh.

 

Bless You, God, for giving us life, for sustaining our lives, and for enabling us to

celebrate this moment, right here right now.
What to Light : Any Menorah that has 8 candle holders plus one more for the Shamash (the candle you light all the other candles with).
Candles : You can find Chanukah candles at any market in the Kosher section.
When to Light : After dark all 8 nights of Chanukah add one candle per night.
Where to Light : It is a tradition to publicize the miracle of Chanukah.  So light your menorah with pride beside a window facing the street.
How to Light : With your menorah facing you place candles starting at the far right adding a candle each night from right to left.  However, when you light the candles, light them with the Shamash (the candle you use to light all the others) from left to right.
After you Light : Take some time to meditate on God’s miracles.  Take the light of the Chanukah candles in.  Chanukah candles usually burn for 18 minutes.  Use these 18 minutes to give thanks to God, to show your love to family and friends, to think about ways you can bring light to those whose lives are filled with darkness.
Rules for Playing Dreidel

 
A dreidel has four sides: נ  (Nun), ג  (Gimel), ה  (Hey), ש  (Shin), and is usually

played with coins, chips, or gelt (chocolate coins). Collectively, these letters are

stand for the Hebrew phrase “Nes Gadol Haya Sham” — “A Great Miracle

Happened There.”

 

Before beginning, each player starts with 10 or 15 coins, and then each player

puts one or two in the pot. One of the players spins the dreidel.  The dreidel

stops and lands with one of the symbols facing up and the appropriate action is taken:

 

Nun – “nothing” – the next player spins

Gimel – “all” – the player takes the entire pot

Hey – “1/2” – the player takes 1/2 the pot, round up if there is an odd number

Shin – “put in” – the player puts one or two in the pot

 

Each player is given a turn to spin the dreidel. The game may last until one

person has won everything.

 
 Recipes

 
Latkes

 
( How to Make a Perfect Latke from The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles

www.jewishjournal.com )
Ingredients:

  • 10 medium potatoes peeled
  • 2 medium onions peeled
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ inch canola or peanut oil
  • 1/4 cup flour or Matzo meal
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • apple sauce
  • sour cream

Instructions:

  1. Heat 1/4 inch of peanut or canola oil in a large skillet.
  2.  Beat two eggs in a large bowl.
  3. Add two teaspoons of salt and a half-teaspoon of freshly ground pepper.
  4. Peel and grate 2 medium onions into the eggs.
  5. Peel and grate ten medium potatoes onto a large kitchen towel. Twist up the ends of the towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible into a glass bowl. Dump potatoes into the egg mixture. When the liquid settles, pour off the water and add the starchy residue back to the potatoes.
  6. You can add up to a quarter cup of flour or matzo meal if the mixture seems especially loose.  Mix well.
  7. The oil should be hot now.  Drop large spoonfuls of batter in the oil and spread out until the edges are lacy.  Fry on one side for a few minutes.  Lift to see they are well-browned, turn and finish cooking on the other side.  Remove and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
  8. Serve immediately with sour cream or applesauce.

Latkes can be kept in a warm oven until serving.  They can be frozen by placing them on cookie sheets and placing in the freezer, then, once frozen, strong in plastic bags.  Reheat by placing latkes on cookie sheets in a preheated 400 oven for 15-20 minutes.

This recipe, adapted from Joan Nathan’s “Jewish Holiday Cooking,” serves 4-10.
Sufganiyot – Chanukah Jelly Doughnuts

Ingredients:

  • 2 pkgs. yeast
  • 1/3 c. sugar
  • 3/4 c. water
  • 1/4 c. orange juice
  • 1/3 c. margarine
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 4 or 5 cups. flour
  • 3 egg yolks

Instructions:

  1. Mix water, sugar, juice, and yeast. Let stand 10 minutes.
  2. Melt margarine and add to yeast mix.
  3. Beat in eggs and salt.
  4. Add flour, mixing by hand to form a soft dough.
  5. Let rise 1 1/2 hours.
  6. Roll dough 1/4 inch thick and cut circles (approximately 2 inches).
  7. Let circles rise 1/2 hour.
  8. Deep fry at 400 degrees about 3 minutes, turning once.
  9. Pipe in jelly and roll in sugar.
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