Hanuka Fun on Bring-A-Friend Days

We welcomed in the first two days of Hanuka this past Tuesday and Wednesday with our annual "Bring-A-Friend" days. In spite of the pouring rain both days, our fifth and sixth graders came, many with their friends. The Talmudic era rabbis declared that we must "make famous the miracle." In Temple Isaiah tradition, we invite friends, both Jewish and non-Jewish, to share the miracle with them - and have a lot of fun while doing so!

We combined all three fifth and sixth grade tracks (Edot, Shira and Y'tzira) and began the session each day in the Beit Knesset. There, I read a short summary of the Hanuka story. We then divided the students into 4 groups on Tuesday and 5 groups on Wednesday, and assigned each group one fourth of the Hanuka story I had just read. They were to take their assignment and create a 2-minute skit, performing it in a certain style. For example, one group was asked to perform it in the style of the TV show "Family Guy"; another group would perform their assigned part in the style of a football game, etc. Each group rehearsed with an assigned teacher in a different room or area of the school, so that no group would overhear what another's assignment was.

After 20 or so minutes, the groups re-convened in the Beit Knesset, where each group was asked to perform their part of the Hanuka story for the other students as I timed the 2 minutes they were given to perform it. After each performance, the audience was asked to guess in which style the skit was performed. Once they had guessed (and each group performed their part of the Hanuka story so well that the audience guessed the style in which they performed it right away!), I challenged each group to perform the same skit, but in half the time and half the time again. Lots of laughing and craziness ensued, and helped to put everyone in a "Hanuka mood!"

As I looked in on each group as they prepared their skits each day, there seemed to be a lot of chaotic action, yet ultimately the skits all came together. Take a look below at some footage I shot of the group assigned to perform their part of the story in the style of the TV show "Glee." 

First, their brainstorming session in one of the classrooms:

Then, the final performance:

Below are some still shots taken of the other groups preparing for or performing their skits both days. One thing can be said for certain - both students and friends went home in the evening knowing the events and the miracle of the Hanuka story very well!

Demanding Jews worship Greek gods a la Indiana Jones

Fighting the Syrian-Greek army a la football game

Bowing down before a Greek god a la Family Guy

Snow White's 7 dwarves lining up to go to work cleaning the Holy Temple

Darth Vader (breathing heavily!) commanding all Jews to worship Greek gods

Mattityahu (a/k/a Luke Skywalker) killing the Jew who dared to bow down before the Greek idol

Hobbits working hard to cleanse the Holy Temple

Superheroes preparing to fight Antiochus' army

As soon as all the groups had performed their skits each day, each track went back to its classroom to play the Dreydl Game. I gave each student and friend a bag of Skittles to use for playing the game in our Edot class. There were other games they could play, but everyone chose to play the Dreydl Game. 

You could even play the dreydl game and while you were waiting for your turn, find Hanuka objects in the "Where's Waldo" style Hanuka book

We finished the day up in the Sanctuary, joining the third and fourth grade tracks to light the first candle on Tuesday evening, and the second candle on Wednesday evening. 

Rabbi Greninger led us in chanting the blessings for the first night. Amazingly, just 8 hours later, she gave birth to Gabriel.  MAZAL TOV!)

 

 

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a CHAG HA'ORIM SAMEACH - HAPPY FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS, as well as a very happy and healthy 2015. We'll see you back in school on Tuesday, January 6th or Wednesday, January 7th - 2015!