Light Another Candle: The Story and Meaning Of Hanukkah

by Miriam Chaikin

Retells the story of Hanukkah and explains its symbols by describing high points in Jewish history, worship, and culture.

Paperback

First published September 1, 1981

About the author

Miriam Chaikin was born in Jerusalem and raised in New York. She served as editor-in-chief of children s books in various publishing houses and has published over thirty books for children of all ages. In 1984 she won the Sydney Taylor Award for Body of Work.

Reviews

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chaikin begins with two chapters on the Maccabbean war, then describes how the celebration of Hanukkah developed over the centuries. She includes the development of the menorah, the use of candles, and the continuing persecution of Jewish people in all parts of Europe. Shse also introduces readers to the history of the Temple in Jerusalem and to Jewish law. The final chapters describe different Hanukkah customs practiced in different countries. This is a very informative book for anyone who wants an overview of the holiday.

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and engaging, this book covers a lot of different aspects of Hanukkah in detail, from the origin story to the gradual development of different holiday traditions and the differences in how Hanukkah is celebrated in different Jewish communities. I really enjoyed the detailed and expressive illustrations, which cover almost every available bit of blank space and take care to show changes in attire throughout the ages.

[Elisabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure why this book has such bad ratings. Maybe just because it's old. It's the only comprehensive book in our library about the history of Hanukkah. We have loads of storybooks about people celebrating Hanukkah or miracles happening during Hanukkah, but nothing about the Maccabees. So I learned a lot reading this. I wish Clarion would update it and reprint it.