2) Chanukah Lab - Candle Lighting Experiment
For this activity you will need:
- Copies (or access to screens) of the Hillel/Shammai Candle Lighting Plans that is in the Talmud.
- Chanukah Menorah (at least one)
- Candles
- Matches/lighter
- Copies for everyone of the Chanukah Lab Review Form
- Copies of the Chanukah Blessings
- As a group read the argument between Hillel and Shammai that is in the Talmud. As you read make sure that everyone understands each rabbi’s Candle Lighting Plan!
- Summarize Hillel’s suggestion.
- Summarize Shammai’s discussion.
- Take out a Chanukiah and light it the way that Shammai suggests. (Yes, pretend that you are going to do all 8 nights very quickly - you do not need to let the candles burn down.) Recite one of the blessings to give it a ritual feel as if it were the 1st night in Shammai’s candle lighting plan. Let it burn for a few moments and then blow it out and do night #2 (blessing, candle, etc.) as outlined in Shammai’s candle lighting plan ... continue and light the Chanukiah for all 8 nights for Shammai.
- Record what you like and did not like about Shammai’s Candle Lighting Plan on the Chanukah Lab Review Form.
- Take out a Chanukiah and light it the way that Hillel suggests. (Yes, do it all over again like it is all 8 nights - in the name of science you have to have the experience of seeing what it is like to light the Chanukah menorah BOTH ways!). Recite one of the blessings to give it a ritual feel as if it were the 1st night in Hillel's candle lighting plan. Let it burn for a few moments and then blow it out and do the remainder of the nights (blessing, candle, etc.) following Hillel’s Candle Lighting Plan.
- Record what you like and did not like about Hillel’s plan on the Chanukah Lab Review Form.
3) Bluff The Listener
For this activity you will need:
- Paper
- Pens/pencil
- Possibly crayons/markers
- Not only are our rabbis well known for their great debates about all kinds of things, they are also known as great storytellers. One of the best tradition of Jewish stories are called MIDRASH. A MIDRASH is often a story that is an answer to a question about something in Jewish tradition that does not make sense. We do not know if these stories are true, made-up or somewhere in between. All that matters is that they are great stories to listen to and to make us think.
- It is your turn to make up some stories and see which stories are the funniest, most interesting or believable.
- Here is the question that your stories need to answer: When we light Shabbat candles we do not have a helper (Shammes) candle to light them, why do we have a helper (Shammes) candle on the Chanukiah?
- Decide to split yourselves into small groups or to make up your stories as individuals.
- Give each group or individuals a few minutes to make up a story that they will tell to the rest of the group. Write out the story, draw pictures or anything that might help to tell the story.
- As a group listen to all of the stories and see which ones you like the best.
For this activity you will need:
- Paper
- Pens/Pencils
- The Maccabees stood and fought Antiochus and his army because Antiochus told the Maccabees that it was illegal to practice their Judaism! Celebrating Shabbat and other Jewish holidays were not permitted. They could not go to the Temple in Jerusalem and gather as a community. They were not allowed to study and teach Torah. The Maccabees felt so strongly about being able to freely be Jewish that they decided to fight Antiochus and his army.
- What is so important to you that is someone took it away or or made it illegal for you to do, that you would fight someone else for the right to get it back or to be able to do it?
- Every individual (with a little help from parents if needed) make a list of 5 things you would fight for.
- Then, as a family share your lists with one another and see of you can come up with a list of 5 for your whole family.
- If you are with some other families, try to make that list as a group of 5 things you would fight for.
- All through the process - don't be shy about asking each other questions about the things each of you listed.