Unlike a lot of other Jewish holidays, Hanukkah does not have extensive additions to the synagogue service. The celebration of Hanukkah is largely centered at home, where the major rituals are lighting the Hanukkah candles, playing dreidel, eating traditional Hanukkah foods and singing Hanukkah songs.
Indeed, there are quite a lot of beautiful traditional Hanukkah songs, meant to be sung as one basks in the lights of the menorah. Hanukkah, O Hanukkah has long been a favorite, sung in either English or Yiddish.
Words in English
Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah
Come light the menorah
Let’s have a party
We’ll all dance the hora
Gather ’round the table
We’ll give you a treat
Sivivon to play with and latkes to eat
And while we are playing
The candles are burning low
One for each night, they shed a sweet light
to remind us of days long ago
One for each night, they shed a sweet light
to remind us of days long ago.
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Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah
A time to remember.
A joyful, jolly holiday
that comes in December
Every day for eight days, dreidels will spin
Crispy little latkes, tasty and thin.
And nightly, so brightly,
the candles of Chanukah glow.
One for each night, they shed a sweet light,
to remind us of days long ago.
One for each night, they shed a sweet light,
to remind us of days long ago.
Words in Yiddish
Oy Khanike oy Khanike
A yontef a sheyner,
A lustiker a freylekher
Nisht do nokh azoyner
Ale nakht mit dreydlekh shpiln mir,
Frishe heyse latkes, esn on a shir.
Geshvinder, tsindt kinder
Di Khanike likhtlekh on
Zogt “Al Hanisim” loybt Got far di nisim
Un lomir ale tantsn in kon.
Zogt “Al Hanisim” loybt Got far di nisim
Un lomir ale tantsn in kon.
English Translation of the Yiddish
The English lyrics to Hanukkah, O Hanukkah are not a direct translation of the Yiddish. The Yiddish translates to the following:
O Hanukkah, O Hanukkah,
A beautiful celebration,
Such a cheerful and happy one,
There is none like it.
Every night with the dreidels we will play,
Fresh, hot latkes we will eat endlessly.
Come quickly children
Light the Hanukkah candles
Say Al HaNissim, praise God for the miracles,
And we will all dance together in a circle!
Say Al HaNissim, praise God for the miracles,
And we will all dance together in a circle!
Video in English and Yiddish
Looking for other classic Hanukkah songs? Check out this collection.
Here’s a more contemporary collection of Hanukkah songs.
Explore Hanukkah’s history, global traditions, food and more with My Jewish Learning’s “All About Hanukkah” email series. Sign up to take a journey through Hanukkah and go deeper into the Festival of Lights.
