Lighting the family menorah can be a two-second affair. How much time does it take to strike a match and light a fire, anyway? But you can also make it last longer. Singing is one time-honored thing to do while sitting around the menorah.
While there are no strict laws about the order of songs, it’s most common to sing “Haneirot Halalu” (“These candles”) and “Maoz Tzur” (“Rock of Ages“). Other songs such as “Hanukkah O Hanukkah” have been popularized alongside them, as well as the immortal “Dreidel Song.”
Hanukkah songs are an evolving tradition. The comic Adam Sandler’s “Hanukkah Song“–basically, a list of Jewish celebrities–defied all odds to become one of the most popular songs of all time on YouTube. And this year, several new bands have released Hanukkah songs of their own.
It doesn’t matter whether you have a good voice or not. Instead, enjoy lighting the menorah and being together. And, of course, if you’re really that paranoid about singing, you can always just download these songs–and crank up the volume on your iPod.
