Need help remembering the melodies and lyrics of your favorite Hanukkah songs? Or tired of the same one or two songs that your family always sings at Hanukkah gatherings? Numerous recordings and songbooks are available for purchase on Amazon.com and Judaica stores, but you can also get much of the material for free (or pay only for the individual songs you want) at the sites below:
On My Jewish Learning
Lyrics for the following songs in English, Hebrew and transliteration. Free audio streaming. Find Israeli Hanukkah songs here.
- Mi Yimalel (Who Can Retell)?
- Svivon Sov Sov Sov (Dreidel Spin)
- Hanukkah O Hanukkah (In English, with a video of it in Yiddish and English)
- Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages)
Customized Hanukkah Song Sheets
Choose from more than 10 songs, select the style in which you want them formatted/printed and then download a customized PDF song sheet containing all your selections.
Zemirot Database
Free lyrics in English, Hebrew and transliteration for 10 Hanukkah songs, plus links to audio recordings of them.
Songs For Teaching
More than 20 songs — lyrics (in English only) and sample audio recording available for free download. Instant downloads of full audio recordings (including instrumentals only) and sheet music of each song available for purchase.
Chabad.org
Numerous traditional songs can be streamed for free, with lyrics in Hebrew, English and transliteration. The same songs are also available here in a more child-friendly format.
ReformJudaism.org
11 modern songs, with videos embedded and links directing users to sites where available for purchase. No lyrics provided.
MJL’s Top 10 Best Hanukkah Songs On Youtube
Videos of performers, ranging from Matisyahu to Six13 to the classics, enjoy this eclectic playlist.
The Maccabeats
Their a capella song “Candlelight” (a parody of Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite”) offers a nontraditional option. The video is featured below, and lyrics can be found here. Their “Hasmonean” (also featured below) parodies several songs from the hit musical Hamilton. The lyrics can be found here (you will have to scroll down a bit.)
Explore Hanukkah’s history, global traditions, food and more with My Jewish Learning’s “All About Hanukkah” email series. Sign up to take a journey through Hanukkah and go deeper into the Festival of Lights.
Hanukkah
Pronounced: KHAH-nuh-kah, also ha-new-KAH, an eight-day festival commemorating the Maccabees’ victory over the Greeks and subsequent rededication of the temple. Falls in the Hebrew month of Kislev, which usually corresponds with December.
