Ma'oz Tsur
Ashkenazic melody, Hebrew words by Mordechai, 13th century poet
English words: Marcus Jastrow, Gustav Gottheil
Adapted from the German of Leopold Stein
Ma-oz tsur y’shu-ati,
l’cha na-eh l’shabei-ach.
Ti-kon beit t’filati
v’sham toda n’zabeiach.
L’eit tachin mat-beiach
mi’tzar ham’na-bei-ach
Az egmor b’shir mizmor
Chanukat ha-mizbeiach (2 x)
|
Rock of ages, let our song
praise your saving power.
You amidst the raging foes
were our shelt’ring tower.
Furious they assailed us,
but your arm availed us.
And your word broke their sword
when our own strength failed us (2 x)
|
|
Dreydl Song
Music: Samuel Goldfarb, Lyrics: S.S. Grossman
Traditional version.
Bluegrass version.
Klezmer version.
I have a little dreidel, I made it out of clay,
And when it’s dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.
Chorus:
O dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay,
And when it’s dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.
|
It has a lovely body, with legs so short and thin;
and when it is all tired, it drops and then I win!
(Chorus)
My dreidel’s always playful, it loves to dance and spin
A happy game of dreidel, come play—now let’s begin.
(Chorus)
|
|
Al haNisim
Chanukah liturgy: Sofrim 20:8; Music: Dov Frimer.
Traditional version.
"Street" version.
Al hanisim, ve'al hapurkan,
ve'al hagevurot, ve'al hateshuot,
ve'al hamilchamot she'asisa la'avoteinu,
ba'yamim hahem, ba'zeman hazeh.
|
(And) for the miracles, and for the redemption,
and for the mighty acts, and for the consolations,
and for the battles that You performed for our forefathers,
in those days, at this time.
|
|
Chanukah, O Chanukah
From the Yiddish folk melody, English: F. Minkoff.
Hebrew version.
Traditional version.
|
Hebrew version
Y'mey haChanukah,
Chanukat mikdasheinu,
B'gil uv'simchah
M'mal'im et libeinu.
Layla vayom
S'vivoteinu yisov,
Sufganiot
Nochal gam larov!
Ha'iru, hadliku,
Nerot Chanukah rabbim.
Al hanissim,
v'al haniflaot
asher chollalu haMakabim.
|
Literal translation:
The days of Chanukah
The Rededication of our Sanctuary
With joy and happiness
We fill our hearts.
Night and day
Our dreidl/s'vivon) turns
Jelly doughnuts
We'll also eat many.
Light 'em, ignite 'em
The many candles of Chanukah.
For the miracles
And for the wonders
Which the Maccabees accomplished.
|
"Singable" English
O Chanukah O Chanukah, Come light the menorah
Let’s have a party, we’ll all dance the hora
Gather round the table, we’ll give you a treat
Dreydels to play with and latkes to eat
And while we are playing, the candles are burning low
One for each night, they shed a sweet
light to remind us of days long ago (2x)
|
|
Mi Yimalel
Music by Menashe Ravina; English lyrics: B.M. Edidin, Judith K. Eisenstein and
others.
Mi y’maleil g’vu-rot Yisraeil? Otan mi yim-neh?
Hein b’chol dor ya-kum ha-gi-bor go-eil ha-am. (x 2)
Sh’ma! Bayamim ha-heim bazman hazeh,
Makabi moshia ufodeh,
Uv-yaminu kol am Yisraeil,
yit-acheid yakum l’hi-ga-eil.
|
Who can retell the things that befell us? Who can count them?
In ev’ry age a hero or sage arose to our aid. (x 2)
Hark! In days of yore in Israel’s ancient land,
Brave Maccabeus led the faithful band.
But now all Israel must as one arise,
Redeem itself through deed and sacrifice.
|
|
Not By Might and Not By Power
Music and lyrics, Debbie Friedman, from Zechariah 4:6.
Not by might and not by power,
but by spirit alone shall we all live in peace. (x 2)
The children sing, the children dream,
and their tears may fall, but we’ll hear them call
and another song will rise, another song will rise,
another song will rise!
|
|
Sivivon, Sov, Sov, Sov
Folk song, lyrics, L. Kipnis.
S’vivon, sov sov sov! Chanukah hu chag tov.
Chanukah hu chag tov. S’vivon sov sov sov!
Chag simcha hu la-am, Nes, Gadol, Haya, Sham
Nes, Gadol, Haya, Sham, Chag simcha hu la-am.
|
Dreidel, spin, spin, spin.
Chanukah is a good holiday.
It is a celebration for our nation.
A great miracle happened there.
|
|
Nerot Chanukah
Music: Chaim Parchi; lyrics: Channah Bar.
Hine hu hechag elenu karev,
venerot tzivonim lo bayad.
Mitoch hakufsa beadom vechachol
metzitzim hem echad echad.
Bayom harishon ner adom hitnoses
lechol ever kara ufirsem et hanes.
Bayom hasheni ner tzahov nidlak,
hu siper al hanes nes hashemen bapach.
Acharav hashlishi ala veheir
ner kachol shehigiya mimodi'in ha'ir.
Sagol veyarok katom veargaman
la'achim hamakabim leYochanan veYonatan;
haner hashmini belavan hizhir
mibet hamikdahs ner shalom haeir.
La La La...
|
|
Chanukah Chag Yafe
Lyrics: L. Kipnis
|
|
Chanukah, Chanukah
Chag yafeh kol kach
Ohr chaviv, mi-saviv
Gil li-yeled rach.
Chanukah, Chanukah
Sivivon, sov, sov
Sov, sov, sov! Sov, sov, sov!
Ma nayim vi-tov.
|
Chanukah is a great holiday.
Surrounded with lovely light.
Fun for little children.
Dreidel, spin, spin, spin.
How wonderful!
|
|
The Latke Song
Music and lyrics, Debbie Friedman.
I am so mixed up that I cannot tell you,
I’m sitting in the blender turning brown.
I’ve made friends with the onions and the flour,
And the cook is scouting oil in town.
I sit here wondering what will ’come of me,
I can’t be eaten looking as I do.
I need someone to take me out and cook me,
Or I’ll really end up in a royal stew.
Chorus:
I am a latke, I'm a latke,
And I am waiting for Chanukah to come.
Every holiday has foods so special,
I’d like to have that same attention, too.
I do not want to spend life in this blender,
Wondering what I’m supposed to do.
|
Matzoh and charoset are for Pesach,
Chopped liver and challah for Shabbat.
Blintzes on Shavuot are delicious,
And gefilte fish no holiday’s without.
(Chorus)
It’s important that I have an understanding,
Of what it is that I’m supposed to do.
You see there are many who are homeless,
With no home, no clothes and very little food.
It's so important that we all remember,
That while we have most of the things we need,
We must remember those who have so little,
We must help them, we must be the ones to feed.
(Chorus)
|
|
Hanuka
Ladino Chanukah Song, Lyrics, Lina Kohen Albukrek; music, Judy Frankel.
Mos viene la fiesta de la hanukèa
A todos mozos hinche de alegrèa.
La mujer nunca manca de su tarèa
Porqué a ella encombe hanukèa.
Los Hasmonayim en este luzio dèa
Mostraron sus tan grande baraganèa,
Y siempre de ellos mos acodraremos
Y al Dio grande siempre bendizeremos.
Que plazer ya es para las creaturas
Cuando empesan a recivir dulçurias,
Los tan hermozos jugueticos del padre
Con las tan luzias caresas de la madre.
El Dio mos salvé de tanta grande dolor.
Él sea siempre muestro grande salvador.
Nunca no tengamos mal ni hazinura,
Que no mos dé nunca ningun' amargura.
|
The festival of Chanukah is approaching;
it fills us all with joy.
A woman never fails to do her duty,
for she is entrusted with the hanukiyah.
The Hasmonayim, on this bright day,
showed us their great valor.
We shall always remember them,
and we shall always bless our great God.
What a pleasure it is for the children
when they begin to receive sweets,
beautiful toys from their father
with warm hugs from their mother.
God saved us from great sorrow.
May he always be our great savior.
May we never have trouble or sickness;
may we never know bitterness.
|
|
I'm Spending Chanukah in Santa Monica
Tom Lehrer.
|
