Chanukah Music Online

Chanukah Resources and Articles

Here at Chanukah Music Online, you can find links and articles about Chanukah, the music, and the customs and rituals observed during the hanukkah. Simply pick from an article below, or visit our resources page.

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Welcome to Chanukah Music Central! Chanukah is the fabulous Jewish holiday of light during the dark months of winter. Like most winter holidays, it’s all about joy, and that joy is communicated through music music music! So get ready for some singing and dancing- we have all the Chanukah songs here at the Chanukah Music website. This site is dedicated to the beautiful music of Chanukah, which it be royalty free Chanukah songs, dances, instrumental background music, or karaoke backing tracks.

Hanukah is traditionally the only holiday in which “gaming” is permitted in Jewish homes, so it’s always been an important holiday for children. Many of the well-known tunes associated with Hanukkah appeal to children with bright and bouncy melodies and lyrics about playing dreidel, eating latkes, and lighting the menorah candles. Some of these songs, like I Had a Little Dreidel, Sivivon, and Oh Chanukah, have karaoke versions that can help your family feel the holiday joy. These versions are in a klezmer style and bring out the excitement and giddiness of the holiday of games.

Rock of Ages and the prayers over the candles, wine, and bread, offer another view of the holiday. These prayers are more somber, and reflect themore serious feeling attached to the holiday. The Hanukah holiday has themes of freedom and slavery, religious freedom and intolerance, military struggle, and God’s mysterious powers. These serious and mystical feelings are brought out by the traditional prayers, which are also available here as a background track, which can be helpful both for teaching and for setting the mood. Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages) also has this serious feeling. Written in the 13th century, Maoz Tzur is an example of piyyut, a Jewish liturgical poem. It is usually sung after lighting the candles.

Hanukkah has become almost a national holiday in Israel, and is certainly the most well-known Jewish holiday in the U.S., and so many new songs have been written about Hanuka. In Israel, “Hanukkah Li Yesh” (“I Have a Hanukkah Menorah”) and “Ner Li, Ner LI” (“I Have a Candle") are very popular, and in the U.S., Adam Sandler’s very funny “The Hanukkah Song” is probably the most well-known modern American song about the Hebrew holiday of light.

Find Chanukah Music for Children Chanukah can be a special holiday for children. With candles burning in the darkness, a special game (the dreidel), and storytelling, the holiday is well-suited for children to enjoy. The children are usually the focus of much attention on Chanukah, as their parents entertain them, tell them the Hanukah story, give them... read more

Chanukah Parties & Songs for the home Hanukah is a fantastic Jewish holiday with lots of songs, food, and fun. It celebrates freedom, God’s miraculous powers, and the military victory of the Hebrews’ fight for independence from the Greek empire, Chanukah has gained great prominence for American Jews due to its proximity to Christmas, and has similar... read more

The Story of Chanukah (history and background)The most important part of the Chanukah holiday is the retelling of the Hanukah story. The story tells how long ago, around 200 BC, at a time when the Jewish people were still all living in Israel, they were ruled by the king of Syria. But Syria became part of the Greek Empire, and the new ruler of the Israeli territory, Antiochus, was hostile... read more

Chanukah Prayers & Prayer SongsThere are many prayers for Chanukah, but the most important are the prayers over the holiday candles. The candles are the center of the holiday, symbolizing the lighting of the temple lamp in the time of the Maccabees, and thus symbolizing God’s miracles and the entire holiday. The prayers over the candles are very... read more