What do you think?
Rate this book
Chanukah: A Joyous Celebration
A square becomes a box of Chanukah gelt and a dreidel in this delightful, die-cut board book with simple text and full-color illustrations by the author.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1998
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 8, 2024
AN EXCELLENT SHORT EXPLANATION OF THE HISTORY OF THE HOLIDAY
This brief 1998 book explains, “The zealot Mattathias … was pulled into the fray … when… a garrison of Selucid troops … entered the square… Mattathias … was being commanded to come forth and sacrifice a pig… he faced the commander … [and said] ‘I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers. Heaven forbid that we should forsake the Law and its ordinances…’ … there was no turning back. Mattathias had taken on the empire.” (Pg. 8-11)
It continues, “When Mattathias died, leadership shifted to Judah, who was known as the Maccabee. No one is certain of the derivation of the word Maccabee… perhaps the word reflects the similar Hebrew word for hammer, describing the hammer-like blows Judah inflicted upon the Syrians… Judah’s band wrested many victories … and slowly liberated Judaea. Finally, in 165 B.C.E., Judah’s army arrived in Jerusalem and liberated the Temple, but a desolate wasteland greeted them.” (Pg. 12-13)
It adds, “Slowly, the Temple was rebuilt and the moment of rededication arrived… The final act of rededication involved lighting the Eternal Light… The light would be fueled with oil, but… when the Maccabees searched in the storehouse they found only a single cruse of pure oil… enough for one day. Miraculously the oil burned for eight days until a new supply could be located… the Maccabees, the spark for that eternal light burning in the Temple had really been kindled … in a moment when one man spoke up for the right of his people to practice their religion. Mattathias’ call to keep the faith still echoes … through centuries of Jewish history wherever the Jewish people have lived.” (Pg. 13-14)
It states, “When we think of Chanukah we immediately think of oil burning for eight days, but this may be only a legend. The story of the oil does not appear in the Books of Maccabees, although oil is mentioned in the Talmud several hundred years later. But even legends have a origin…The eight days may also have been a delayed observance of the Autumn festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot). At Sukkot Jews would parade through the streets of Jerusalem carrying lights, and the festival had been postponed because of the war between the Maccabees and the Selucids.” (Pg. 16)
It explains, “Traditionally, Chanukah menorahs were made of clay: nine separate oil lamps (including the shamash)… Oil lamps certainly predate Chanukah, and can be traced back to 2,500 BCE… In the early centuries of the Common Era oil lamps often included a menorah etched into the surface. The menorah could not have seven branches because that would represent the menorah in the Temple in Jerusalem.” (Pg. 24)
Later, it adds, “The origins of the seven-branched menorah can be traced to Biblical times. About 3,200 years ago, Moses commissioned the first Hebrew artist, Bezalal, to design a menorah for the Tabernacle… Carefully described in the Book of Exodus… This is the menorah emblazoned on the shield of Israel. Because of its antiquity, the menorah is justifiably the most authentic symbol of the State of Israel, rather than the Star of David, which became popular only a century ago.” (Pg 30)
It observes, “What is Chanukah without a dreidel?... this spinning top delights young and old. The four-sided dreidel contains a Hebrew letter on each side: N, G, H, SH. The letters stand for ‘A great miracle happened here.’ … The dreidel game is a form of gambling. Each participant places a raisin, a walnut, a piece of chocolate, or a coin in the pot, and the dreidel spins. If the dreidel falls on the N, the spinner loses; on the G, he or she takes the entire pot; on the H, half the pot; and on the SH, the spinner places a coin in the pot. There are many variations to this game, and participants are free to make their own rules. The dreidel appears to be a frivolous game of chance, but there is a more somber backdrop. When Antiochus forbade Jews to study the Torah or gather in synagogues in the second century BCE, the Jews continued to meet secretly in homes. A lookout would be stationed near the door and give warning when the Syrians were near. At the first alarm, the students, taking a dreidel which they kept close to them when they studied, would spin the top and pretend they were only playing a harmless game.” (Pg. 45-46)
This book is a fine introduction to the holiday for adults (or high school age young people).
This brief 1998 book explains, “The zealot Mattathias … was pulled into the fray … when… a garrison of Selucid troops … entered the square… Mattathias … was being commanded to come forth and sacrifice a pig… he faced the commander … [and said] ‘I and my sons and my brethren walk in the covenant of our fathers. Heaven forbid that we should forsake the Law and its ordinances…’ … there was no turning back. Mattathias had taken on the empire.” (Pg. 8-11)
It continues, “When Mattathias died, leadership shifted to Judah, who was known as the Maccabee. No one is certain of the derivation of the word Maccabee… perhaps the word reflects the similar Hebrew word for hammer, describing the hammer-like blows Judah inflicted upon the Syrians… Judah’s band wrested many victories … and slowly liberated Judaea. Finally, in 165 B.C.E., Judah’s army arrived in Jerusalem and liberated the Temple, but a desolate wasteland greeted them.” (Pg. 12-13)
It adds, “Slowly, the Temple was rebuilt and the moment of rededication arrived… The final act of rededication involved lighting the Eternal Light… The light would be fueled with oil, but… when the Maccabees searched in the storehouse they found only a single cruse of pure oil… enough for one day. Miraculously the oil burned for eight days until a new supply could be located… the Maccabees, the spark for that eternal light burning in the Temple had really been kindled … in a moment when one man spoke up for the right of his people to practice their religion. Mattathias’ call to keep the faith still echoes … through centuries of Jewish history wherever the Jewish people have lived.” (Pg. 13-14)
It states, “When we think of Chanukah we immediately think of oil burning for eight days, but this may be only a legend. The story of the oil does not appear in the Books of Maccabees, although oil is mentioned in the Talmud several hundred years later. But even legends have a origin…The eight days may also have been a delayed observance of the Autumn festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot). At Sukkot Jews would parade through the streets of Jerusalem carrying lights, and the festival had been postponed because of the war between the Maccabees and the Selucids.” (Pg. 16)
It explains, “Traditionally, Chanukah menorahs were made of clay: nine separate oil lamps (including the shamash)… Oil lamps certainly predate Chanukah, and can be traced back to 2,500 BCE… In the early centuries of the Common Era oil lamps often included a menorah etched into the surface. The menorah could not have seven branches because that would represent the menorah in the Temple in Jerusalem.” (Pg. 24)
Later, it adds, “The origins of the seven-branched menorah can be traced to Biblical times. About 3,200 years ago, Moses commissioned the first Hebrew artist, Bezalal, to design a menorah for the Tabernacle… Carefully described in the Book of Exodus… This is the menorah emblazoned on the shield of Israel. Because of its antiquity, the menorah is justifiably the most authentic symbol of the State of Israel, rather than the Star of David, which became popular only a century ago.” (Pg 30)
It observes, “What is Chanukah without a dreidel?... this spinning top delights young and old. The four-sided dreidel contains a Hebrew letter on each side: N, G, H, SH. The letters stand for ‘A great miracle happened here.’ … The dreidel game is a form of gambling. Each participant places a raisin, a walnut, a piece of chocolate, or a coin in the pot, and the dreidel spins. If the dreidel falls on the N, the spinner loses; on the G, he or she takes the entire pot; on the H, half the pot; and on the SH, the spinner places a coin in the pot. There are many variations to this game, and participants are free to make their own rules. The dreidel appears to be a frivolous game of chance, but there is a more somber backdrop. When Antiochus forbade Jews to study the Torah or gather in synagogues in the second century BCE, the Jews continued to meet secretly in homes. A lookout would be stationed near the door and give warning when the Syrians were near. At the first alarm, the students, taking a dreidel which they kept close to them when they studied, would spin the top and pretend they were only playing a harmless game.” (Pg. 45-46)
This book is a fine introduction to the holiday for adults (or high school age young people).
December 24, 2008
A very quick read, and probably one of the better short introductions to the holiday. It's not quite a children's book, though it's deceptively brief. There's a little something for everyone, including a very authentic CD of related songs and a recipe section.
My one discordant thought would be an expression of annoyance over the sentiment (18) that it doesn't matter what the origins of Chanukah are. Even if we can't yet determine something, that's no cause to assume that it's unimportant.
All told, this is well-written, being thought out, researched, and progressing rapidly and naturally. I appreciated the viewpoint on Allenby (51-52).
My one discordant thought would be an expression of annoyance over the sentiment (18) that it doesn't matter what the origins of Chanukah are. Even if we can't yet determine something, that's no cause to assume that it's unimportant.
All told, this is well-written, being thought out, researched, and progressing rapidly and naturally. I appreciated the viewpoint on Allenby (51-52).
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews