Brad

Hanukkah is a Middle Eastern holiday taking place on December 21^st and lasting for eight days and seven nights. This is the celebration honoring the Jews battle against the Greeks for the right to celebrate their own religion. The main event in Hanukkah is the lighting of the menorah which symbolizes the eight days of Hanukkah, but also the burning light in the temple of the Jews. Every night of Hanukkah you get one present. One toy that probably is the most given is the dreidel, but at one time in history the dreidel was more than a toy, but away to study religion without getting caught. People would spin the dreidel and on each side was a verse or saying of the Torah, the Jewish bible. If they got caught the Greeks would merely think the Dreidel was a toy and let them carry on. You may see gelts, or the chocolate coins wrapped in gold, in a Jewish kids hand, because their grandparents give this to them for an enjoyment for the holiday. So here at school everyone could make their own menorah and while the kids are working the teacher could pass out gelts to everyone, and talk to them about Hanukkah at the same time. At lunch time we could give free ice cream to everyone as a present for each day of Hanukkah. "I think the kids call it Chrismukkah - a unique modern day holiday celebration that combines Hanukkah and Christmas for those families that have members of the Christian and/or Jewish persuasion." This is described here by CK. This is a new up coming holiday all the kids are celebrating these days.