Oh Chanukah
Oh Chanukah is an English version of the Yiddish Oy Chanukah. The English words, while not a translation, are roughly based on the Yiddish. "Oy Chanukah" is a traditional Yiddish Chanukah song. "Oh Chanukah" is a very popular modern English Chanukah song. This upbeat playful children's song has lines about dancing the Horah, playing with dreidels, eating latkes, lighting the candles, and singing happy songs. The song was written by Mordkhe Rivesman, and first published in Susman Kiselgof's 1912 Lider-Zamlbukh .
Naming
According to the Freedman Jewish Music Archive at the University of Pennsylvania Library, alternate names the Yiddish version of song has been recorded under include "Khanike Days", "Khanike Khag Yafe", "Khanike Li Yesh", "Latke Song ", "Yemi Khanike", and "Chanike Oy Chanike". 'Chanukah' is and was sometimes written as 'Khanike' as that was the standard transliteration from Yiddish according to the YIVO system.Melody
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Versions
| English version | Yiddish version | Yiddish transliteration | Yiddish literal translation |
Come light the menorah Let's have a party We'll all dance the horah Gather 'round the table, we'll give you a treat Dreidels to play with, and latkes to eat | אַ יום-טוב אַ שיינער אַ לוסטיקער אַ פריילעכער נישט דאָ נאָך אַזוינער אַלע נאַכט מיט דריידלעך שפילן מיר, פרישע הייסע לאַטקעס, עסן אָן אַ שיעור. | A beautiful celebration. Such a cheerful and happy one, There is none like it. Every night with the dreidels we will play, Fresh, hot latkes we will eat endlessly. | |
The candles are burning bright One for each night, they shed a sweet light To remind us of years long ago One for each night, they shed a sweet light To remind us of years long ago. | די חנוכה ליכטלעך אָן, זאָגט על-הניסים, לויבט גאָט פאַר די נסים, און לאָמיר אַלע טאַנצען אין קאָן. זאָגט על-הניסים, לויבט גאָט פאַר די נסים, און לאָמיר אַלע טאַנצען אין קאָן. | Light the Chanukah candles Say "Al HaNissim", praise God for the miracles, And we will all dance together in a circle! Say "Al HaNissim", praise God for the miracles, And we will all dance together in a circle! |
Alternate Yiddish versions and pronunciations
A very common Yiddish version of the song is below with alternate words, lines, verses, or pronunciations on the right. This version follows the original published version rather than the more popular variant given above. The bolded words are what is changed. The "" in the bottom left indicated that part is repeated.Hebrew version
There is also a Hebrew version, which has the same melody, its words penned by Avraham Avronin. The words correspond roughly to the original, with slight variations for rhyme and rhythm's sake, to match the Sephardic pronunciation which serves as the basis for Modern Standard Hebrew. Thus the first line names the holiday; the second calls for joy and happiness ; in the third the speakers say they will spin dreidels all night; in the fourth they will eat latkes ; in the fifth the speaker calls everyone to light the Chanukah candles; the sixth mentions the prayer Al Hanissim, "On the miracles". The only big change is in the last line – whereas the original calls to praise God for the miracles he performed, the Hebrew one praises the miracles and wonders performed by the Maccabees. This reflects the anti-religious polemic of early Zionism, evident in many other Israeli Chanukah songs. Dati Leumi Jews sing an altered version of the line which includes a call to praise God.In Israel, it is still a very popular song, but since the country has a rich inventory of Chanukah songs it is not as exclusively popular as the English version in English speaking countries, or the Yiddish version in the past.
| Hebrew text | Hebrew transliteration | Hebrew literal translation | English version |
| יְמֵי הַחֲנֻכָּה | Y'mey haChanukah | The days of Chanukah | , Chanukah, Oh Chanukah |
| חֲנֻכַּת מִקְדָּשֵׁנוּ | Chanukat mikdasheinu, | The Rededication of our Sanctuary | Come light the menorah |
| בְּגִיל וּבְשִׂמְחָה | B'gil uv'simcha | With joy and happiness | Let's have a party |
| מְמַלְּאִים אֶת לִבֵּנוּ | M'mal'im et libeinu. | We fill our hearts. | We'll all dance the horah |
| לַיְלָה וָיוֹם סְבִיבוֹנֵנוּ יִסֹּב | Layla vayom, S'vivoneinu yisov, | Night and day, our top turns | Gather round the table, we'll give you a treat |
| סֻפְגָּנִיּוֹת נֹאכַל בָּם לָרֹב | Sufganiot, Nochal bam larov! | Jelly doughnuts, we'll also eat many. | Dreidels to play with, and latkes to eat |
| - | - | - | |
| הָאִירוּ, הַדְלִיקוּ | Ha'iru, hadliku, | Light 'em, ignite 'em | And while we are playing |
| נֵרוֹת חֲנֻכָּה רַבִּים | Nerot Chanukah rabbim. | The many candles of Chanukah. | The candles are burning bright |
| עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת | Al hanissim, v'al haniflaot | For the miracles, And for the wonders | One for each night, they shed a sweet light |
| אֲשֶׁר חוֹלְלוּ הַמַּכַּבִּים | asher chollelu haMakabim. | Which the Maccabees accomplished. | To remind us of days long ago |
| עַל הַנִּסִּים וְעַל הַנִּפְלָאוֹת | Al hanissim, v'al haniflaot | For the miracles, And for the wonders | One for each night, they shed a sweet light |
| אֲשֶׁר חוֹלְלוּ הַמַּכַּבִּים | asher chollelu haMakabim. | Which the Maccabees accomplished. | To remind us of days long ago |