“Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah” on Ukulele

Every December, people of Jewish faith celebrate the Festival of Lights with eight days of traditional rituals and celebrations. One of the essential parts to celebrating Hannukah is singing songs that honor the holiday. One song, in particular, has been sung for over a century—the beloved “Hanukkah oh Hanukkah.” But what does it mean? Let's take a look into what this song is all about. 

Photo by Robert Thiemann on Unsplash

The Lyrics 

The lyrics to “Hanukkah oh Hanukkah” are written in Yiddish and English. The first verse starts off with an invitation to come celebrate Hannukah—a time of joy and light when families gather around the menorah to share gifts and food. The second verse speaks on how each night of the festival should be celebrated with singing, dancing, and stories about how God helped Maccabees defeat their oppressors who had banned Judaism from practice in ancient Israel.  

 

The third verse speaks on how much fun playing dreidel can be when everyone uses their imagination. Dreidel is a spinning top game that children play at Hannukah; players spin their tops and depending on which side lands face up, they either win or lose pennies or chocolate coins called "gelt." And finally, the fourth verse reminds everyone that during Hannukah we remember those who are not able to join us due to persecution and sadness. 

 

History Behind the Song 

"Hanukkah oh Hanukkah" was written by Mordkhe Rivesman as part of his collection of religious songs. Since then it has been translated into many languages and is popularly sung during Hanukkah concerts as well as other holidays throughout Europe and North America. It is one of the most recognizable songs associated with Hannukh because it speaks directly to its spirit—from its celebration of religious freedom to its carefree nature that embraces joyousness through games like dreidel-spinning.  

  Conclusion

As you can see, “Hanukkah oh Hanukah” is more than just a catchy tune—it carries an important message for us all about celebrating our freedom while remembering those who do not have it yet. When singing this beloved song around your menorah this year, make sure you pause for a moment to appreciate its meaning along with its melody! This will make playing Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah on your ukelele even more special!