How to Find Hanukkah Songs

The eight-day celebration of Hanukkah is a time of great joy as millions of Jewish people celebrate their religion and culture. Along with lighting the menorah, playing spin the dreidel and filling up on latkes, singing Hanukkah songs in both English and Hebrew is a favorite way to spend the days. Here's how to find Hanukkah songs for your own celebration.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Check with area school music teachers for English versions of Hanukkah songs. Many schools today study celebrations of different cultures. Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa are the three big ones.

2. Find Hebrew schools in your area. Ask for suggestions for Hanukkah songs. Often, these songs will be in Hebrew. Education directors at synagogues might be able to assist you, but time your call as to not interrupt daily services.

3. Search Internet music retailers. Amazon has a good variety of Hanukkah songs that range from traditional to humorous to jazz. There's even a collection called "Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah!" Most are audio CDs, although some of the older ones are cassettes. Many selections allow you to click to listen to a sample of the music.

4. Shop in large music stores. Look for Hanukkah songs in the holiday sections. Don't forget to look in the children's holiday section as well. "I Have a Little Dreidel" is a popular song with the pre-K crowd.

5. Put that iPod to work for you. The iTunes Store features a lot of variety, with over a hundred choices for individual Hanukkah songs and albums. Find "Ma'oz Tzur," or "Rock of Ages," composed in the twelfth century. Or fast forward to the 1990s and download Adam Sandler's hilarious "Chanukah Song."

Resources

• Visit the Jewish Outreach Institute for everything Hanukkah.
• Find Hanukkah songs and stories at Amazon.