Chanukah Pajamikah! : Song Lyrics

1. Chanukah Chag Yafe
By L. Kipnis

Chanukah, Chanukah
Chag yafeh kol kach
Or chaviv, mee-saviv
Gil l’yeled rach

Chanukah, Chanukah
Sevivon sov sov
sov sov sov, sov sov sov
Mah na-im va-tov!

Chanukah, Chanukah joyous holiday
Candles bright, cheerful light
Old and young can play.
Chanukah, Chanukah sevivon sov, sov
Spin and turn, spin and turn
While the candles burn.
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2. Judah the Maccabee
By Richard B. Silverman

Chorus:
His name is Judah the Maccabee 2x
He fought for our people
So that they would be free!
His name is Judah the Maccabee.

Years ago in our ancient land
There did come a king.
Out of the land of Syria
Great armies he did bring.
He brought with him his pagan gods
“You Jews must believe!
If not I’ll tear your Temple down.”
Oh the people they did grieve. Chorus

Then up arose a priestly man
Mattathias was his name.
With him were his five sons
“For our God!” he did exclaim.
His third son’s name was Judah
Like a hammer he would be
That’s why the people looked to him
To lead the Maccabees. Chorus

Up in the hills and the valleys below
The Maccabees did roam.
Protecting the People of Israel and
Fighting for their home.
Though many years have passed and gone
Our people have lived and died.
We all must strive for freedom and peace
For mankind must survive. Chorus
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3. The Dreidel Song
Debbie Friedman

CHORUS:
Nun, gimel, hey, shin,
Watch the deidel spin, spin, spin.
Nun, gimel, hey, shin,
Watch now, let the fun begin
Nun, gimel, hey, shin,
Spin the deidel, try to win and
Sing a-along our dreidel song with me.

See the deidel spinning ‘round,
Spinning ‘round and ‘round and ‘round
When it stops it will tell you,
This is what you have to do. CHORUS

You take nothing Nun will say
Gimel wins, it’s fun to play.
Hey talkes half, but land on Shin
And you’ll have to put some in. CHORUS

"The Dreidel Song" from MIRACLES & WONDERS
Debbie Friedman ©1987 Deborah Lynn Friedman (ASCAP)
Sounds Write Productions, Inc. (ASCAP)
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4. Mi y’malel
Traditional folk

Mi Y’maleil g’vurot Yisrael
Otan mi yim neh
Hen b’chol dor yakum ha-gibor
Go-el ha- am.

Sh’ma!
Ba-yamim ha hem baz’man ha-zeh
Ma ka bee mo shee-ah ufo deh
Uv’yamein nu kol am Yisrael
Yita ched ya kum v’yiga-el.

Who can retell the things that befell us?
Who can count them?
In every age a hero or sage come to our aid.

Shma! At this time of year in days of yore
Maccabees the Temple did restore
And today our people as we dreamed
Will arise, unite and be redeemed!
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5. Eight Days Of Chanukah
Russian folk song/ lyrics – S. Gewirtz

Once there was a time we had a Temple
Where every Jew would go three times a year
There we worshipped God in our tradition
‘Til suddenly a tyrant did appear
Then at Modin, Mattathias told us
“Whomever is for God come join our band”
Led by Judah and his faithful brothers
We drove the tyrant from our holy land.

CHORUS
Eight days of Chanukah
Eight days of Chanukah
We celebrate the Festival of Light
Those days in history
Still live for you and me
Let’s keep the flame
Forever shining bright!

When they came to dedicate the Temple
How their hearts were heavy with despair
Impurities and idols all around them
And just one jar of pure oil was there
But with faith in God they cleansed the Temple
Kindled that small lamp with hope and love
Then the story had a happy ending
Eight days of blessed light came from above.

CHORUS
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6. Banu Choshech
E. Amiran S. Levi Eng. Moshe Halfon

Banu cho-shech le-gar-eish
Be-ya-deynu or va-esh
Kol echad hu or katan
Ve-ku-lanu or eitan
Sou-ra cho-shech al-hah sh’chor
Sou-ra mip-ney ha-or.

Though the night is dark and cold
There is light with our soul
In our hearts there burns a flame
Unity in freedom’s name
Go away darkness, blackest night
Go away, make way for light!
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7. Oh Chanukah/Y’mey/Oy
Avrounin – Folk

Oh Chanukah oh Chanukah
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
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.

Y’mey ha-Chanukah
Chanukat mik da shey nu
Be gil u-ve simcha m’malim et libeynu
Laila vayom s’vivoney-nu yi sov
Sufganiyot no chal bam la rov
Hairu, hadlikku
Nerot Chanukah ra-bim
Al hanisim, v’al ha niflaot
Asher chol’lu hamakabim.
Al hanisim, v’al ha niflaot
Asher chol’lu hamakabim

Chanukah, oy Chanukah a yontev a sheyner
A lustiker a freylecher, nito noch azoyner
Alle nacht in dreydl shpiln mir
Zuki-heyse latkes esn mir
Gesh’vinder, tzindtkinder
Di Chanukah lichtelech on
Lomir alle zingen, lomir alle shpringen
Un lomir alle tantsn in kon.
Lomir alle zingen, lomir alle shpringen
Un lomir alle tantsn in kon.
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8. Levivot
L. Kipnis, N. Nardi

Kemach kemach min ha-sak
Shemen shemen min ha-kad
Chanukah ha-yom
Chag naim nech-mad

Kemach ke-mach min has-sak
Shemen shemen min ha-kad
Hava ne-la-bev, lev-vi-vot le-chag

La la la la…..

Bring the four from the bin
Pour the oil from the tin
Chanukah is here
Festival so dear.
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9. S’vivon Spin Along Medley

I have a little dreidel
I made it out of clay
And when it’s dry and ready
Oh dreidel I shall play!

Oh dreidel dreidel dreidel
I made it out of clay
And when it’s dry and ready
Oh dreidel I shall play!

S’vivon
S’vivon sov sov sov
Chanukah hu chag tov
Chanukah hu chag tov
S’vivion sov sov sov.

Chag simcha hu la-am
Nes gadol haya sham
Nes gadol haya sham
Chag simcha hu la-am.

Sov, sov sov sov…..

Ani S’vivon

Ani S’vivion
Ani S’vivon
Ani ratz ratz ratz ratz
El ha’ yeldaim ba-Chanukah
Ani ratz ratz ratz ratz
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10. Ocho Kandelikas
by Flory Jagoda

Hanuka linda sta a-ki
ocho kandelas pa-ra mi 2x

Ohhh….

Una kandelika,
Doz kandelikas
Trez kandelikas,
Kuatro kandelikas,
Sintyu kandelikas
Sej kandelikas,
Siete kandelikas,
Ocho kandelas para mi.

Muchas fiestas vo fazer
Con alegrijas y plazer. 2x

Ohh…… Una….

Las pastelikos vo comer
Con almendrikas y la miel

(Beautiful Chanukah is here. 8 candles for me.
1 candle, 2 candles, ., 8 candles for me!
Many parties I will have, with happiness and pleasure.
The little pastries we will eat, filled with almonds and honey.)
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11. Soufganiot
By Rabbi Joe Black

Soufganiot, Soufganiot, Oh, how I love those Soufganiot.
Soufganiot, Soufganiot, Oh, how I love those Soufganiot.

Go into the kitchen, heat up the oil,
Wait until it’s ready to boil.
Roll up the dough, put the jelly in the middle,
Drop’em in the pot and listen to ‘em sizzle, those…

Soufganiot…

Some like ‘em hot, some like’em cold,
Nobody likes ‘em when they get too old.
Raspberry, strawberry, chocolate too,
Those Soufganiot are so good for you, those…

Soufganiot…

I love ‘em with my breakfast, I love ’em with my lunch,
Dinner time, snack time, I gobble up a bunch.
Only problem is, when I eat too many,
My tummy starts to hurt and I feel real funny those…

Soufganiot…
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12. The Latke Song
Debbie Friedman

I am so mixed up that I cannot tell you
I’m sitting in this blender turning brown.
I’ve made friends with the onions and the flour
And the cook is scouting oil in town.

I sit here wondering what will ‘come of me
I can’t be eaten looking as I do.
I need someone to take me out and cook me
Or I’ll really end up in a royal stew.

CHORUS:
I am a latke, I am a latke
And I’m waiting for Chanukah to come.
I am a latke, I’m a latke
And I am waiting for Chanukah to come

Every holiday has foods so special
I’d like to have that same attention too.
I do not want to spend life in this blender
Wondering what I’m supposed to do.
Matza and charoset are for Pesach
Chapped liver and challah for Shabbat.
Blintzes on Shavuot and delicious,
And gefilte fish no holiday’s without. CHORUS

It’s important that I have an understanding
Of what it is that I’m supposed to do.
You see there are many who are homeless
With no jobs, no clothes and very little food.
It’s so important that we all remember
That while we have most of the things we need
We must remember those who have so little
We must help them we must be the ones to feed. CHORUS

"The Latke Song" from MIRACLES & WONDERS
Debbie Friedman ©1988 Deborah Lynn Friedman (ASCAP)
Sounds Write Productions, Inc. (ASCAP)
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13. One Little Two Little Latkes
Folk

One little two little three little latkes
Four little five little six little latkes
Seven little eight little nine little latkes.
Chomp and slurp
No more little latkes!
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14. Al Ha Nissim
Traditional Chassidic Song

Al hanissim, ve’all hapurkan
Ve’al hagevurot 2x
Ve’al hateshu’ot
Ve’al hamilchamot
She’asitia la’avoteynu
Bayamim hahem bazman hazeh!

(We thank You for the miracles,
for the repmption, for the mighty deeds and triumphs,
and for the battles which you performed for our fathers
in those days, and in these.)
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15. Candle Blessings

Baruch atah adonai
Eloheynu melech haolam
Asher kidshanu b’mitzvotav
Vtsivanu l’hadlik ner
Shel Chanukah.

Baruch atah adonai
Eloheynu melech haolam
She asa nisim la-avloteynu
Bayamim ha heym
Baz’man hazeh.
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16. Maoz Tzur
Traditonal folk

Maoz tzur y’shu a tee
L’cha na eh le’shabey ach.
Teekon beyt t’fee la tee
V’sham today n’zabey-ach
L’yet ta chin matbeyach
Meetzr ham’nabey ach
Az egmor b’shir mizmor
Chanukat hamizbeach.

Rock of ages let our song
Praise Your saving power
Thou amidst the raging foes
Was our sheltering tower.
Furious they assailed us,
But Your arm availed us
And Your word, broke their sword
When our own strength failed us.
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