S’vivon (Dreidl/Spinning top)
S’vivon, sov, sov, sov
Hanukkah hu chag tov
Hanukkah hu chag tov
S’vivon, sov, sov, sov.
Chag simchah, hu la’am
Neis gadol hayah sham.
Neis gadol hayah sham,
Chag simchah hu la’am.
Dreidl, spin, spin, spin.
Hanukkah is a good holiday.
It is a festival of joy for everyone,
A great miracle happened there.
Al ha-Nissim (For the Miracles)
Al ha-nissim v’al ha-purkan, v’al ha-g’vurot, v’al ha-t’shu-ot
V’al ha-milchamot she-asita, she-asita la-avoteinu.
Bayamim ha-heim (2)
Bayamim ha-heim baz’man ha-zeh, baz’man ha-zeh.
We give thanks for the miracles, for the times You saved us, for the mighty acts,
and for the victories You waged for our ancestors in those days at this time.
Ocho Kandelikas (Eight Candles) Melody from Sarajevo in Ladino
(Verse 1) Hanukkah linda sta aki. Ocho kandelas para mi. (2x) O–
(Refrain) UNA kandelika, DOS kandelikas, TRES kandelikas,
KUATRO kandelikas, SINTYU kandelikas,
SEJ kandelikas, SIETE kandelikas …..
OCHO kandelas para mi.
(Verse 2) Muchas fiestas vo fazer, kon alegriyas i plazer. (2x) O–
Refrain
(Verse 3) Los pastelikos vo kumer, kon almendrikas i la miel (2x) O–
Refrain
Beautiful Hanukkah is here. Eight candles for me.
One candle, two candles…eight candles for me.
Many parties I will have with happiness and pleasure.
One candle….
The little pastries I will eat filled with almonds and honey.
One candle….
Ma-oz Tzur
Traditional Italian Ashkenazi melody.
Notated by Benedetto Marcello 1724
Hebrew – Mordechai Ben Yitzchak HaLevy
Sung Italian – Teo Dagi
Transliteration & Italian translation – Rabbino Leigh Lerner
Ma’oz tzur je-sciu-a-ti
Le-cha na’è le-scia-bei-ach
Ti-con beit te-fi-la-ti
Ve sciam to-dà ne-za-bei-ach
Le-eit ta-chin mat-bei-ach,
Mi zar ham-na bei-ach
Az eg-mor be-scir miz-mor
Cha-nu-kat ha-miz-bei-ach (2x)
Eterna forza salvatrice,
Beati noi l’elogiamo
Restaur’a me il santuario
Grati, lieti le serviremo.
I nemici annienti!
Pur’ annuli I pagani!
Allora cantarò,
In lode finirò,
Dedicar’ il sacr’altar
O Roccaforte della mia salvezza, Tu sei degno di essere lodato, Accolgo la festa con molta allegrezza, La Tua parol’ avendomi ispirato. In massa il nemico attaccava, ma la fede in Te ci rafforzava. Adesso cantiamo e celebriamo lo zelo maccabbeano. (2) Figli dei Maccabei, liberi o incatenati. Innalzate la canzone, dove siet’ assoggetati. A voi il messaggio invincibile, che in tempo raggiungibile La libertà prevarrà, la tirannia è battibile. (2)
Light One Candle
Peter Yarrow
(Sung by Peter, Paul and Mary)
(Verse 1) Light one candle for the Maccabee children
With thanks that their light didn’t die
Light one candle for the pain they endured
When their right to exist was denied
Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice
Justice and freedom demand
But light one candle for the wisdom to know
When the peacemaker’s time is at hand.
(Refrain) Don’t let the light go out!
It’s lasted for so many years!
Don’t let the light go out!
Let it shine through our hope and our tears. (2)
(Verse 2) Light one candle for the strength that we need
To never become our own foe
And light one candle for those who are suffering
Pain we learned so long ago
Light one candle for all we believe in
That anger not tear us apart
And light one candle to find us together
With peace as the song in our hearts
(Refrain) Don’t let the light go out!
It’s lasted for so many years!
Don’t let the light go out!
Let it shine through our hope and our tears. (2)
