Oh, Chanukah! Oh, Chanukah! - Art, Music & Poetry

Translation

Oh Chanukah, oh Chanukah,
A holiday a lovely one,
A happy, a joyful one,
There is none like it!
Every night at dreidl do we play,
Fresh hot latkes we eat without end.

Come children, hurry,
the Chanukah candles we will light.
Let's sing "al hanisim",
Let's thank G-d for the miracles,
Let's all dance together.

This is the English version of this popular children's Chanukah song

Oh Chanukah, Oh Chanukah
Come light the Menorah
Let's have a party
We'll all dance the Horah

Spin the whirling dreidels
All week long
Eating the sizzling latkes
Sing a happy song

Now light them tonight then
The candles all in a row
We tell the wondrous story
of G-d in all His glory
The wonders of long ago.

Yiddish Text:

אוי חנוכה אוי חנוכה
א יום טוב א שיינע
א ליכטיגע א פרייליכע
נישט דא נאך א זיינע
אלע נאכט מיט דריידלעך ,שפילן מיר
פרישע הייסע לאטקעס ,עסן אן א שיעור

קומט קינדער געשווינדער
די חנוכה ליכט ,וועלן מיר אנצונדען
זאגט על הניסים
לובט ג-ט פאר די נסים
לאמיר אלע טאנצען צוזאמען

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December 7, 2012

Thanks!

Anonymous

December 3, 2012

Muriel Esther

The song u posted is called two horas for Hanukkah!!

Anonymous

December 1, 2012

For Angee - Thank you! I'm reading The Diary of Anne Frank with a junior high English class, and have found the lyrics you and I remembered, in it. Many years ago, I learned them in a high school production of the play. Amazing how the things we learn in our youth come back to us 50 years later!

Tammy Houser
Middlebury, IN

November 29, 2012

I would love to retrieve this old Chanukah song

In 1969, my fourth grade chorus sang a song for our holiday concert that began, "Spinning Spinning, Whirling Whirling (2x) When I was a little child I used to dance the hora, in the flickering candle light that shown from my menorah, tops all spinning 'round, what a whirling sound, everyone gay, for Chanukah so merry!" Does anyone know the name of this song and its publisher/author?

Muriel Esther
Elwood, NY

November 20, 2012

For Tammy Houser

Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah The sweet celebration Around the feast we gather in complete jubilation Many are the reasons for good cheer Now that the Season of Lights is here Many are the reasons for good cheer Now that the Season of Lights is here Together we'll weather whatever tomorrow may bring So hear us rejoicing and merrily voicing the Hanukkah song that we sing So hear us rejoicing and merrily voicing the Hanukkah song that we sing Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah The Festival of Joy A holiday, a jolly day for every girl and boy Whirling dreidels all week long Eating latkes, singing songs Whirling dreidels all week long Eating latkes, singing songs Now light them, tonight then The candles all in a row Retell the story of God in his glory and dance by the flickering glow Retell the story and God in his glory dance by the flickering glow

Angee Sluder
Kennewick, WA

November 14, 2012

Does anyone know a version that begins "O Hanukka..The sweet celebration!" I think I learned that as a student teacher (I'm not Jewish) years ago, but can't find it anywhere now.

Tammy Houser
Middlebury, IN

December 21, 2011

common American version

Hanukkah, oh Hanukkah, 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
Dreidels to play with and latkes to eat
or (sevivon 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
One for each night, they shed a sweet light
To remind us of days long ago

anonymous
New York, NY

December 20, 2011

there are more versions, weird

I know the one oh H, Oh H, a festival of joy, a holi day a jolly day for every girl and boy, spin the whirling dreidle all week long, eat the sizzling latkes, sing the happy songs, now light them, tonight then, the flickering candles in a row, retell the wondrous story of G and all his glory and dance by the candles cheering glow, repeat, it could have be we tell or re-tell, not sure.

Anonymous
NY

November 27, 2011

Oy Chanukah

Do you have the 2nd stanza of Oy Chanukah? It contains the phrases"... Di shtot yerushalaim hot vider ogelebt und to a naiyer lebn hot yederer geshlept..."

Thanks

Anonymous
Lexington, MA

December 4, 2010

very nice

My mother studied these song in Idisch.

Maria Taissa
rio de janeiro, brasil

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