Hanukkah Worksheets
Hanukkah is a holiday that is celebrated on the twenty-fifth day of the Jewish month of Kislev by people of the Jewish faith. The holiday is observed for eight days and nights. Hanukkah has been observed for well over two-thousand and two-hundred years. When the land that is known today as Israel was under control of Antochus III (King of a Syrian Province), he ordered and end to the Jewish faith. The Jewish people revolted against this force and took back their religion. These worksheets will help students explore a wide array of customs and traditions of Hanukkah.
Grammar Worksheets:
Nouns - Find all the people,
places, or things in this series of theme related sentences.
Dreidl
Grammar - All about the game of Dreidel. Are there Dreidl leagues
some where? Rewrite the paragraph on
the lines below correctly editing for spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
What
is Hanukkah? - This is a really sloppy paragraph. See if you
can clean it up. It tells about the story behind this holiday.
Reading Comprehension Worksheets:
Lighting the Candles -
We look at the daily of people during the celebration. You will read a one page reading passage and then be asked a series of questions, true/false, and fill in the blank sets.
Celebrating Hanukkah -
What is the history behind this tradition? This reading passage dives deep in it and make a comparison of modern day.
Hanukkah
Foods - There are several foods that are especially eaten during
the holiday of Hanukkah. One of the most cherished foods of this group
are the Latkes.
Hanukkah
Songs - What are these songs talking about? Write down the words that rhyme with each other on the lines below. Refer to the song
Hanukkah which is on the worksheet.
What
Word is Missing? - See if you can think up that missing word. You are given ten sentences that need you tender love and care to be read well.
Puzzle Worksheets:
Word Scramble - Unscramble
the words that are found on this worksheet. They are traditional words and there are fourteen of them.
OH!
Cryptogram - Each number represents a letter. Decode the numbers
to find the words (clues in the box at the bottom of the page.)
The ABCs
- Write the words in alphabetic order on the lines provided. There are twenty words in all. Some begin with the same letter.
Hanukkah
Word Search - Find each word. All words are positioned left
to right, diagonally and backwards.
Writing Worksheets:
Acronym Allison - See
if you have trouble with this acrostic poem. Allison always has a hard time remembering words. It's
easier for her to remember them when she has an acronym for each
letter.
My
Life as a Dreidl - All of a sudden, the dreidl becomes alive
and begins to talk. What do you think the dreidl would say?
Why is Hanukkah Celebrated?
Hanukkah is an annual Jewish celebration. The word Hanukah means "dedication" in the language of Hebrew. Hanukah also known as Chanukah, is celebrated by the Jewish on the 25th of Kislev which is a month from the Jewish calendar. It is an eight-day-long festival which celebrates the rededication of the Jewish temple in the second century BC.
History Of Hanukkah
Hanukkah is a Jewish festival that has a significant history. It goes back to the 200 B.C, when Judea, which is now Israel, was conquered by Syria. Antiochus was the king at that time who allowed the Jewish to practice their religion without any difficulties. However, after Antiochus came his son to rule the land. He was less merciful to the Jews. He banned them from practicing their religion. He forced the Jewish to leave their religion and start worshiping the Greek Gods. He also made his army enter the land of Jerusalem and destroy the second temple. Within the sacred walls of Jerusalem, he sacrificed pigs. However, with the help of a Jewish priest, a strong rebellion broke out against the monarchy of the violent king. In the next two years, Jews were able to defeat the Syrian army. The son of the priest Judah ordered the reconstruction of the temple and the altar. The menorah was lighted again.
The Hanukah Miracle
The menorah is supposed to never stop burning. However, Judah and other Jews who took part in the rebellion witnessed a miracle. The amount of untainted olive oil that they had was only supposed to light the menorah for one night. But the candles of menorah kept burning for eight days. This provided them with the time to find more oil. This story inspires Jews to celebrate eight days every year.
Hanukkah Activities for Your Classroom
If you wish to help students better understand the traditions of this celebration, there are a number of activities that students can take part in that will help them understand better. Here are a number of activities that we have used successfully with students before:
Create a Dreidel
This can be done with paper, wood, or even plastic constructor cubes. There are a number of different directions sets found online to help you create them with just about any material you choose. It is always helpful to help understand the traditional symbols that are found write on the sides of the dreidels and have them write them when construction is complete.
Make Some Treats
You can at home or in class have students create some traditional treats of the season. The favorites are always the customary sufganiot, latkes, and donuts. Traditionally fried foods are used in the process to commemorate the oil that kept the menorah lit. You can also find many extremely healthy alternatives available for you with just a bit of research.
Tell the Story of Hanukkah
Students that do not come from homes that celebrate this holiday often do not why this event occurs. Share the story with them and have them learn the true meaning of why it is an eight-day celebration. This will also help them begin to understand all the symbols such as the menorah.
Geography
Have students use maps to see where these events took place. Help them learn about the weather conditions and terrain of the area. Have students critically think how the terrain lead to better warrior training.
