- Definition
Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish holiday, also called the Festival of Lights, that celebrates a miracle involving oil lasting for eight days instead of one.
Lighting one more candle on the menorah each night for eight nights is a central part of celebrating Hanukkah.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Hanukkah is like when a special toy's battery was supposed to last for one day, but it magically kept working for eight whole days.
Ask your child: How do the candles change each night?
Common mix-up: Kids may think Hanukkah is the 'Jewish Christmas' because of its timing and gifts. The holiday actually celebrates a specific historical event about perseverance and a miracle of light.
Examples
- Playing a game with a spinning top called a dreidel.
- Eating foods cooked in oil, like potato pancakes called latkes, to remember the miracle of the oil.
Hanukkah is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
