|
|||||||||||||||||||||
“Chanukah is Coming”by Robert Sol, Dramatized by Amy Freedman This intergenerational play is a fun addition to a worship service. Cast Setting A table and four chairs is all that is needed to set the scene. Mr. Shine can mime frying the latkes on an imaginary stove. The aisle of the worship space can be used for Main Street. Props One box of Chanukah Candles *The people who “find” the candles should be selected ahead of time and each given the appropriate number of candles. They simply come forward from their seats when mentioned by the Narrator. It is fun to have members of the congregation named with their actual professions and tools of the trade. For example, “Out of the Dentist’s office came Doctor Smith with a toothbrush in one hand and four candles in the other. Four candles, just enough for the third night of Chanukah.” Narrator: There was lots of magic excitement in the Shine House. The whole family was in the warm kitchen preparing for the first night of Chanukah. Mr. Shine was frying the last of the potato latkes. Mrs. Shine was polishing the Hanukah Menorah. The dog and cat looked on as Rebecca and Sam decorated the dreidel cookies. Mrs. Shine: Those look beautiful kids. Sam Shine: Yes, but they are going to taste even better! Rebecca Shine: Dad, those latkes make the whole house smell yummy! Sam: Why do we eat latkes on Chanukah? Mr. Shine: The oil we fry the potato latkes in reminds us of the oil at the Temple. Some folks in Israel eat doughnuts. Rebecca: Doughnuts for Chanukah? That’s weird! Mr. Shine: Doughnuts are fried in oil, too. Sam: Maybe we could make doughnuts shaped like dreidels. Rebecca: And spin them for the dreidel game! Mr. Shine: That sounds like fun. I like how you put the Hebrew letters on the cookies. Rebecca: Ness Godol Hayah Shom. Sam: What does that mean again? Rebecca: A great miracle happened there. Everybody knows that. Sam: I just know that when it lands on Gimel, I win! Mr. Shine: Well, it looks like we are almost ready for the first night. We have lots of gelt to play dreidel. The house is decorated. We have some presents to exchange. I see you have our Chanukah menorah. Mrs. Shine: Yes, I think we are all set. No candles! How could we have forgotten the most important thing? We have no candles for our menorah. Rebecca, will you please run down to the store and buy us a box of Chanukah candles. Sam: Can I go, too? Mrs. Shine: Sure, you can go together but it’s snowy out there, be sure to bundle up! Don’t forget your hat and gloves. Mr. Shine: Watch your step, it could be slippery. . . Rebecca: Okay, we’ll be back soon. Dog: Bark! Cat: Meow! Sam: Bye! Narrator: It was a cold, snowy day and the wind whipped through the trees. Rebecca and Sam whisked out of the house and down to the Grocery store on Main Street. Rebecca: Excuse me we are looking for a box of Chanukah candles. Store Clerk: You are in luck! I have only one box left. Sam: That is lucky since tonight’s the first night. Store Clerk: Here you are. Happy Chanukah! Rebecca: (pays for the candles) Thank you. Happy Chanukah to you, too! Sam: Happy Chanukah! Narrator: Rebecca and Sam bought the box of candles. Rebecca clutched them tightly in her gloved hand. Together they skipped out of the store singing a happy Chanukah tune. Down Main Street they went, hopping and sliding in the soft, powdery snow. Suddenly Rebecca skidded—and down she went with a thump. And down went the box of candles. They rolled and skidded and flew and tumbled all over Main Street and rolled. Rebecca: (standing, brushing herself off and shaking the empty box) Oh, no! When I fell, the box burst wide open, and the candles went every which way! Sam: There has got to be some in the box! Rebecca: No, there is not even one candle left. That was the very last box at the store. Now, how will we ever be able to celebrate Chanukah? Narrator: Poor Rebecca and Sam sat stunned in a snow bank with an empty box. They wondered how they could celebrate the Festival of Lights when there was not even one candle left. Just then they heard some music coming down Main Street. The cheery tune was being played on a_____________ and a street musician came right up to them. Street Musician: (plays) Happy Chanukah! Look what I found just rolling past me on Main Street. Two candles, just enough for the first night of Chanukah! (gives them to the girls) Narrator: Rebecca and Sam’s faces brightened. Suddenly, as if by magic, all the doors on Main Street opened wide. Store Clerk: I’m so glad I found you. These three candles skid right into the Grocery Store. Three candles, just enough for the second night of Chanukah! (gives to Sam and Rebecca) Narrator: [*See note above] Out of the ______________ came _________ with a _______in one hand and four candles in the other. Four candles, just enough for the third night of Chanukah. Out of the ______________ came _________ with a _______in one hand and five candles in the other. Five candles, just enough for the fourth night of Chanukah. Out of the _________ came __________ with a ________in one hand and six candles in the other. Six candles, just enough for the fifth night of Chanukah. Out of the _____________ came ____________ with a ________in one hand and seven candles in the other. Seven candles, just enough for the sixth night of Chanukah. Out of the ___________ came _____________ with _______ in one hand and eight candles in the other. Eight candles, just enough for the seventh night of Chanukah. Out of the _________ came ____________ with a ________ in one hand and nine candles in the other. Nine candles, just enough for the eighth night of Chanukah. Sam: Thank you all so much! Rebecca: We wish you all a very Happy Chanukah! Narrator: Rebecca and Sam continued on their way home and this time the wind blew right behind them. They made it back down Main Street and to their front door without even one little slip. |
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
History | Holidays
| InterfaithFamilies | Jew-U’ism
| Judaism |
|
© 2002, Unitarian Universalists
for Jewish Awareness • www.uuja.org
|