Shabbat Chanukkah 9^th grade program!!!

Topic: Chanukkah

Written by: Netanel Afek

Goal: To have fun with the chanichim for Chanukkah!

Materials: questions (provided), Tic-Tac-Toe board and pieces.

Hollywood Squares!!

So here are the rules: a madrich is going to be the Host. The kids, split up into two groups, are going to be sitting across from the board and the Madrichim. When the starting group picks a square they want to advance to, the Host is going to read the question and the fun begins: every one of the extra madrichim is going to have to come up with his own creative answers (or if it’s a hard question, answers will be provided) – and the trick will be to make it sound as convincing and funny as you possibly can. If you cannot be funny, it’s important that you at least be convincing. The group is going to choose a person, and if they get it wrong, the other group gets the square automatically (or you can play that the other group has to answer that question or a different one in order to get their own square). DO NOT SHOW ANY SIGN OF WHO HAS THE RIGHT ANSWER BEFORE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO. When the Host tells the madrichim to, if you are the “right answer - please stand up”.

Now, below are the questions and right answers (and false answers to difficult ones – feel free to make up a better answer) provided. According to order of seating (the Madrichim seat in a row) will be order of letters.

REMEMBER: 1) Do not let them see these pages. Ever.

               2) Don’t read from the paper. It looks bad and it gives away who has the right answer. 

               3) They are ninth graders. They are mature and smart enough (even if they don’t always show it). Try to present the answers with enough convincing tone so that it would make them think you’re right - or not.

QUESTIONS for Hollywood Squares – Chanukkah

1) What does “Maccabi” (Mem, Cuf, Bet, Yood) stand for?

A: “Marom Kodshecha Bashamayim Hashem” – “G-d’s glory is in the heavens above” an outcry by Matityahu

B: “”Mi Kamocha BaElim Hashem” – “no other G-d is like you,  Hashem” a symbol on Yehuda’s shield

C: “MiKol Be’ayot Yatzileni” – “He will save me of all my troubles” a phrase often spoken in Yehuda’s camp during the hardships of battles.

D: “MeChamat Boorim Yoshia” – “He saves me from the anger of the wicked” a prayer compiled to try to prevent Greek decrees.

E: It doesn’t stand for anything. It just means “like a rock” a nickname given to Yehuda shortly after his first victory.

2) Why do we eat milkhic on Chanukkah?

A:

B:

C:

D: Because Yehudit, Yehuda’s sister, gave the Greek admiral cheese when she had him over for a meal, and through the effect of the cheese she was able to kill him.

E:

3) Why do we light 1 candle the first night and 8 candles the last?

A: Because we only add Kdusha and not subtract.

B:

C:

D:

E:

4) Who is obligated to light?

A: everyone except women

B: everyone

C: everyone except children

D: Sepharadim: only men; Ashkenazim: men and women

E: everyone except people with disabilities

5) Why is Chanukkah called Chanukkah?

A:

B: Because the Maccabim rested on Chuf-Heh of kislev.

C:

D:

E:

6) How many Sifrei Torah do you take out on Rosh Chodesh Tevet that falls on Shabbat?

A: Two – for Shabbat, then for Rosh Chodesh.

B: Two – for shabbat, then for chanukkah.

C: Four – for shabbat, then for chanukkah, then maftir shabbat, then for rosh chodesh.

D: Three – first for Chanukkah, then for shabbat, then for Rosh Chodesh.

E: Three – first for shabbat, then for rosh chodesh, then for chanukkah.

7) Why do we read that specific Kria BaTorah (the Korbanot given in the dedication of the Mishkan) in Chanukkah?

A:

B:

C: Because we’re comparing the dedication of the Mishkan in the desert on the second year to the dedication of the Mikdash in Israel on Chanukkah.

D:

E:

8) What should one do if he forgets to add “Al Hanisim” in the right place in davenning?

A: he should stop where he is and say it then. If he finished the bracha (modim) already, then he has to repeat the davenning.

B: he should stop where he is, say it where he is, and then ocntinue as usual after Al Hanisim. If he finished the Amida already, then he doesn’t return anymore.

C: he should stop where he is. If he finished the bracha (modim) already, then he doesn’t return anymore.

D: he should stop where he is and say it then. If he finished the bracha (modim) already, then he doesn’t return anymore.

E:

9) What are you not allowed to do on Chanukkah?

A:

B:

C:

D: Hesped and Taanit

E:

10) Who are the five sons of Matityahu?

A:

B: Yochanan, Yonatan, Yehudah, Elazar, and Shimon

C:

D:

E:

11) Who are you allowed to have Hesped in Chanukkha for?

A: relatives?

B: an improtant king/ president/ prime minster

C: only an Goy king

D: only a jewish king

E: only a great Talmid Chacham

12) What was the first priority of the Maccabim in purifying the Temple?

A: getting all the idles out of it, and repurifying everytihng in the Temple.

B: light the menorah

C: get pure oil

D: get tons of money for renewed Korbanot

E: putting the different “furniture” (i.e. mizbeach, shulchan, kiyor, aron, menora, etc.) of the Mikdash in their right places.

13) In the Gmara, Bet Shamai say that you need to light in a receding order. What is their reasoning?

A:

B:

C:

D: the candles are for the Calves which were brought as Korbanot in Sukkot.

E:

14) If someone doesn’t have enough money to get Chanukkah candles, what should he do?

A: Buy Chanukkah candles even from money which isn’t his!

B: buy chanukkah candles and not food.

C: even sell his clothes to get them!

D: steel – just get some money to buy them.

E: not light Chanukkah candles.

15) How beautiful should one’s Chanukkiah be?

A: should be worth as much as lulav and etrog.

B: modest – you don’t want people to get jeolous.

C: you don’t need a chanukkiah at all.

D: as beautiful as you can make it

E: enough to catch the viewer’s eye.

16) If you have another light in the house, do you need a shammash, & why?

A: yes, because it’s a minhag israel.

B: no, because you already have a light besides the chanukkah candles.

C: no, because a shammash is never required – it just looks nice.

D: yes, because it’s more mehudar.

E:  yes, because having a shammash is a halacha in the rambam.

17) What is the main sporting event in Israel for Chanukkah?

A: a soccer game between maccabi Ra’anana and HaPoel Yerushalayim.

B: a “mini olympic” of middle school kids from all over the country.

C: a national basketball tournament with representatives of all different youth groups in israel.

D: a soccer game between Maccabi Yerushalayim and it’s brother-team in Greece.

E: a basketball game between Saloniccy and Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

18) The line “Dvir Kodsho Heviani…” from maoz Tzur refers to what event in Jewish history?

A: Kabbalat Hatorah at Har Sinai

B: the babylonian exile after the first temple was destroyed.

C: the entering of the jewish people to Eretz Israel.

D: the rededication of the temple once the jews returned to israel after their galut.

E: a reference to the series of events in which Aron Habrit was taken from Israel by the Plishtim.

19) Which type of lighting substance is allowed to be used on Chanuka?

A: olive oil and wax candles

B: Tar

C: cement

D: sand

E: all of the above

Good Luck and Enjoy!